From the Azure to Zero
by Veldrin
Summary: A man seeks salvation for a damaged world. A sword, lost in time, accepts the contract. From the moment they met, fate began to spiral out of control.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I own neither Blazblue nor Fate/Zero or any other copyrighted material that might be mentioned in this story. They belong to whoever owns the right to them._

**AN**: As far as canonicity goes, this story only takes into account the events of _Calamity Trigger_ and _Continuum Shift_. There might be references to side-materials, but not all of those have been translated so they might not be considered canon for this fanfic.

Anyone wanting to post this story elsewhere should ask me first. I am already posting this story on another site under the user name _Siriel_, so there's no need to send me comments about how I'm stealing my own fic from myself.

* * *

Deep in a forest on the edge of Fuyuki City, protected by ancient bounded fields stands the castle of the Einzberns, home to their ambition that has endured for a thousand years. Though it had been constructed long ago, this was not their true home, but rather a base for their participation in the Holy Grail War. From the beginning it had never been a place where outsiders were welcomed, but the current resident was a man that had been accepted into the family.

He was a man of unremarkable appearance, with hair and eyes as black as his clothes. His appearance conveyed a sense of isolation that discouraged anyone from engaging in a conversation on a whim.  
Of course, for a man who had originally joined the Einzberns in the name of an ideal that he could not accomplish himself, that was the intention. Though he had found love in his time with the ancient family, Kiritsugu had no time to spend of social tasks when his goal was finally in sight.

Perhaps it was an exaggeration to call him a "resident", as he had only arrived a few hours ago. He had initially planned on arriving later, but he had recently acquired an object that made it advantageous for him to take the next step in Japan.

On this night, he would summon a legendary hero for the purpose of fighting in the Holy Grail War. If he could achieve victory and defeat the six other Masters, he would be granted the right to have his wish realized.

From what the old man had said, the summoning had to be done tonight; to delay any further would be to risk an inferior Servant. To begin with, he wouldn't have minded receiving an Assassin or a Caster, as the classes that were generally undesirable were the most suited to his plans. However, to do so would be to waste the precious gifts that the Einzberns had found for him. Throwing aside such an advantage was something that Kiritsugu Emiya could never bring himself to do.

Resolutely, he extended his hand toward the summoning circle that had carefully been painted, toward the ancient, broken relic that had been deposed upon the central altar.

The unassuming piece of metal was a fragment of the legendary Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi, one of the three sacred treasures of Japan. Though it was widely believed to be held at Astuka Shrine, the Einzberns had discovered that the original had been lost long ago, and had managed to secure a piece of it through means unknown to Kiritsugu.

"I hereby swear; I will be all that is good in the eternal world."

The chant of the summoning was unnecessary, all that was truly required was a sufficient circle and the will to summon a Servant; the desire for a powerful weapon. However, the vow served as an additional bind – a Servant that was completely incompatible with the vow could not be summoned from it.

That was why Kiritsugu turned his goal into words and made his vow. He could not use a Servant that would reject his ideals fully, and he could not achieve his ideals without a Servant. Better to receive an inferior Servant than one so rotten that they would reject the world's salvation.

"I will be the disposer of evil in the eternal world."

His sight darkened, and pain beyond measure began to fill his body as the magic crest carved upon his back began to reinforce the summoning. Losing all sense of self, nothing remained but a body of flesh that maintained itself on it's feet.

When he became himself again, he could do nothing but keep his eyes closed as a blue light filled the chamber, it's origin was the summoning circle itself as it accomplished the miracle he had sought after.  
The sound of a flutter of cloth confirmed his success and for the first time that night he allowed himself to feel some satisfaction.

"I ask of you; are you my master?"

The sound of her voice was the first sign that something had gone wrong, and Kiritsugu was finally allowed to open his eyes to see the hero that had answered his summons.  
The small frame of a young girl with blond hair, most of her body was hidden by a blue coat with green lines at the border that was complimented by a beret…judging by the shape of her legs, she lacked the musculature to be a Saber or a Lancer and Kiritsugu could not imagine such a colorful assassin. Had he summoned a Caster in the end?

His thoughts took but an instant. It changed little that he had failed in summoning Yamato Takeru; this was his Servant. He would claim the Holy Grail with it. An unknown Servant merely meant that he would have to correct his strategy.

"Yes. I am Emiya Kiritsugu."

Saying so, he lifted his hand to reveal the seals that adorned it.

"I see." The girl politely inclined her head at his words, smiling. "Nice to meet you. I am Servant Archer, my name is Noel Vermillion."

Noel Vermillion…  
An unknown, strange name. Certainly not Japanese. But then, neither was the girl standing before him. How odd. If the relic had failed – most likely due to being a forgery - then he should have received a Servant that matched his personality. Somehow he doubted that was the case here. Still, there was a more pressing issue.  
Calmly, he extended his left hand toward her.

"Servant Archer, Noel Vermillion. From this point forward I shall be the pillar that maintains your existence, until the time that this war is ended by my wish granted by the Holy Grail."

Hesitantly, she extended her arm, grasping his hand in a grip that would be surprising had she been a normal girl.

"I promise…" Her words were slow and careful, most likely coming up with the words as she went. "I will be Emiya Kiritsugu's sword until I am the last Servant and my wish is granted by the Holy Grail."

He nodded formally before releasing her hand and letting her take a step back. It appeared his Servant lacked confidence, at least in formal occasions. But he had neither the desire nor the time to forge any bond more personal than that of associate; the final Servants could be summoned at any time and it was vital that he determined the full scope of his resources before the war began in earnest.

He turned slightly to present his side to her, clearing the way to the door. "Come with me, I will need to know your full capabilities. The information provided by the Grail is not sufficient."

Her shoulders lowered slightly and her smile faltered. It appeared that she would have preferred for them to take the time to get to know each others.  
He pitied her if that was the case. He had no time for small talk and he would not allow himself to become familiar with someone who would fade away in a few nights' time.

To her credit, her voice did not shake when she replied.

"Yes, Master."

* * *

"All the equipment has arrived."

Those were the words that greeted Kiritsugu as he entered room 73. His accomplice in this war, Hisau Maya, wasted even less time on social matters than he did.  
No longer the young girl that he had taught years ago, she had grown into a handsome, fair-skinned woman whose air of cold professionalism cut short any attempt at charming her.

With a nod of acknowledgement, he approached the weapons that had been laid out for him, the modern tools that a proper Magus would have rejected, which were the keys to his victory.

"There has been no movement, then?"

The news was not surprising in itself. The summoning of the seventh and final Servant had only occurred yesterday, it was likely that the participating Magi were still assessing the competition.

"None." Maya waited a short moment before continuing. "I have confirmed that Tohsaka Tokiomi is still at his mansion. El-Melloi appears to have made an hotel his workshop for the duration of the War, but the familiars were unable to approach it. The Mato master seems to have hidden himself away."

There a new pause, this one betraying slight hesitation. "I've been unable to locate Kotomine Kirei for the past forty-eight hours."

Kiritsugu paused from his inspection. For him, that was the worst scenario. Of all the Masters that had been confirmed thus far Kotomine Kirei, a former Executor of the Church who now acted as a Master in the Holy Grail War, was the only one whose motives he could not comprehend. For the man that was known as a "Magus Killer", the worst opponent was definitely that man who could not be classified as a Magus.

In addition, it seemed that the proper Magi that were participating had opted against an early attempt at removing their opposition. This made his favored strategy of bypassing the Servants to strike at the humans hiding behind them more difficult than it could be.

"Archer."

"Yes?"

A faint blue light washed over the room as his Servant returned to a physical form. For the past few days, Archer had been following him as a spirit as he scouted the city once more.  
Of course, he had already memorized the layout years ago, but it appeared that populated areas changed far too quickly in the modern area for his previous endeavors to have been reliable.

"The first exchanges of the War will take place tonight. Since our opponents have declined to take the first move, it'll fall to you to put on a show and drag them from their hiding places."

"Alright." There was an eagerness behind her words that contrasted the hesitation that was present whenever he asked her questions. If nothing else, it appeared that his Servant had been used to following orders in her life. "I'll be going then."

* * *

"Aw, so cute. Don't worry…"

Slowly attempting to approach a kitten that she had found in the streets, Archer said those words in a high-pitched, childish voice.  
It was quite fortunate that her Master wasn't present. Otherwise, his opinion of his Servant, who had interrupted her task of scouting after only a few hours play with the first animal she had seen, would have diminished severely.

"Come here…"

"Archer."

Just as she had almost reached her target, an emotionless voice spoke out in her ear.

"Aaah!" Blue eyes widened in surprise and precariously balanced as she had been, her sudden jump almost caused her to crash. Falling on one knee to steady herself, she frightened the little kitten which ran off as fast as it could.

"Oh no, it got away." The sadness in her voice truly did not belong after such a carefree display.

It was only five seconds later that she realized what had interrupted her.

"Ah! Y-yes, Master Emiya?"

Of course, Kiritsugu was not close to her. Before the night had even began, they had split up to cover more ground. The means of communication that they were using now was one of a set of radios that he had had Maya obtain beforehand.

In truth, Kiritsugu would have preferred to keep his Servant under constant surveillance. However, because Noel Vermillion had been summoned under the class of "Archer", that tactic had been discarded. That was because of the ability of "Independent Action" that she possessed, which allowed her to act without requiring the support of her Master.

Paired with a Servant who could survive for days after his death even without having previously arranged a pact with another Master, Kiritsugu had opted for a different tactic. By traveling away from Archer, he limited the chance of being recognized as a Master by a Servant such as Assassin and by communicating with Archer with a radio, he limited her ability to travel in spirit form and made it easier to check on her condition. The fact that they could cover more ground in this manner was simply an additional bonus.

Archer had simply rejoiced at the additional freedom this granted her and given this decision no second thoughts. It could be said that having summoned a Servant who had never entertained the thought of betrayal made Emiya Kiritsugu's careful plans needlessly complicated.

"It appears that the first engagement of the war has already begun. Someone has established a barrier near the factories. Make sure to remain far enough to prevent those who are fighting from detecting you."

"Understood."

Unfortunately, it seemed that there was no more time to have fun. Returning the radio to a pocket inside her coat, Archer began to run toward the direction indicated by her link with her Master.  
Not far away, the first battle of the Fourth Holy Grail War had just begun.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own neither Blazblue, Fate/Zero, nor any Type-Moon related material from characters or concepts are being used in this fanfic. I make no monetary gain of any kind from this.

* * *

The view that unfolded below Kiritsugu was a scene of carnage.

Compared to the battlefields that he had fought on in his time, it was clean and lacking in corpses, but he could all too easily imagine the devastation that would have occurred if any bystanders had been present. The ravaged ground and burning air certainly gave sufficient information.

The fact that the causes of the devastation were only two warriors confirmed his beliefs that Heroic Spirits were not entities that belonged in the world. He would put an end to this war as soon as possible.  
Others might consider the talent that had been honed by those heroes to be a glorious proof of humanity's possibilities, but for Emiya Kiritsugu it was nothing more than another symptom of the horrors of war, the very thing he fought to stop.

He could not compare the skills of Servants with anything he had crossed in his travels, but simply from the gap in their capabilities, he judged it unlikely that Lancer would emerge victorious. Saber, the Heroic Spirit of the Sword, was a monster.  
The young girl with blond hair was on the offensive, barely held at bay by the twin spears of her opponent.

But assessing the outcome of the fight was not his task. After observing them long enough to witness their parameters, he raised the sniper rifle that he had prepared for such occasions. He doubted he would be so lucky as to find both Masters, but in this situation, he would take what he could.

Through the sight of his rifle's thermographic scope, the first thing that came to his attention was the furnace of the two battling Servant. This battle being outside of his ability to affect, he turned his attention to the nearby roofs.

There. Standing arrogantly near the center of a remote warehouse, the figure overseeing the battle could only be the enemy master. Dependant on the concealing properties of magecraft, Kiritsugu doubted he had even considered that he could still be found mechanically.  
That was the failure of the existence known as a Magus and the reason why Kiritsugu had put an end to all conflicts he had entered.

Methodically, he fell back into old patterns and began to prepare the bipod. Once his preparations were ready, he would simply wait until the battle below ended – if this was Saber's master, then he could eliminate two-

"On the crane."

Maya's voice broke his line of thought, and he instinctively swung around to the designated spot.  
The figure standing there under the sky shatters his plans of defeating a third of the opposition in one night.  
Blacker than the sky stood the Servant Assassin, unnoticed by the other warriors thanks to his ability of Presence Concealment.

Kiritsugu, whose knowledge of magecraft is limited to what could help him on the battlefield, does not know that Assassin's Master is observing the battle through his eyes and so he cannot understand why Assassin is allowing himself to be seen by taking corporeal form.

All that Kiritsugu knows is that simply by his presence, Assassin has effectively paralyzed both himself and Maya, as they cannot act without revealing their position and suffering a swift death.

This power that surpassed logic could be said to be the true difference between a Heroic Spirit and a "powerful warrior". No matter how strong a human is, they can still be dealt with or evaded through mundane means. But a Servant, and more so Assassin who specializes in slaying Masters, cannot be challenged with only human means.

Before Kiritsugu could contemplate his misfortune any further, lightning struck the battlefield below his position.

Only paying minimal attention to the chaos below, he took a few moments to formulate a new course of action. Until the newcomer's voice bellowed out, challenging the other Servants to show themselves.

"Ridiculous. Does he expect to be obeyed?"

Well, he supposed it was possible that some particularly foolish heroes could fall for such a taunt. He would at least trust his own Servant to not be swayed by such a blatant appeal to pride.

From a certain point of view, the situation was simple. With Assassin present, neither he nor Maya could act. The only resource at his disposal that could remove Assassin was Archer.

But if he summoned Archer, Assassin would react accordingly and escape. This might allow him to remove the enemy Master from the equation, but it wasn't an optimal outcome; Assassin had revealed himself early and if he escaped Kiritsugu might never have a similar opportunity to take care of the Servant that posed the highest threat to him.

The answer to his dilemma came in the form of a second command from below. With a cynical smile, Kiritsugu reminded himself that idiots were often the best at creating opportunities.

"Archer, Assassin is standing on the crane. Use Rider's demands to justify your approach and remove him."

* * *

Even from the distance that she had chosen as her position, Archer could feel the battle occuring nearby.  
Well, that was less a sign of her talent and more a tribute to the power that Lancer and Saber were unleashing.  
The Bounded Field that surrounded the battle was efficient at keeping ordinary citizen away, but even the lowest Magus would be able to sense the battle between two Heroic Spirits.

Kiritsugu had not called upon her. She assumed that this meant that he had not located a Master, or that he was confident that he could handle things himself. A good sign, by all account.

Now, if only she had something to do.

When the lightning struck and what appeared to be a _chariot drawn by bulls _descended from the sky, she doubted her eyes.  
But…this was the Holy Grail War. Surely, such a thing was not outside of the possibilities? She had seen some odd things in the past, even if they tended to take less antiquated forms.

Well, she supposed that she was being a bit of a hypocrite.

A bellow from the battlefield broke through her thoughts.

_"And the rest of you! I know you are hiding in the darkness, spying on us!"__  
_  
"N-no way."

Surely, she couldn't have been detected from this distance while keeping her prana expendure to a minimum? If someone could detect her from there…

No, it wasn't impossible. If the one who had shouted had been the one aboard the flying chariot, he might have seen her. She had made no efforts to conceal herself from above.

"D-did I screw up?"

Kiritsugu would not be happy. Definitely not. His very first order and she'd managed to fail!

"This isn't good…"  
_  
__"Heroes summoned by the Grail! Let us gather! And to those too paralyzed by fear to show your faces, __  
__know that Iskandar, King of Conquerors, holds you in utter contempt!"_

The second shout replaced her panic with indecision, worry overcoming even the fact that the man had just shouted what was probably his true name to the winds.

To answer, or not to answer? If she went, she risked being attacked. And Kiritsugu had told her to stay hidden.  
On the other hand, if she stayed away, it didn't sound like she would be forgiven.

"Ah…which one's the right decision?"

In a quiet voice, Servant Archer lamented the unfairness of it all. Or at least, she did for the five seconds that preceded Kiritsugu's order.

"Understood!"

This was much better. If she simply obeyed her orders, there was no risk of her making a mistake and she wouldn't be blamed.

But was that really alright? That thinking was what had allowed that man to…

No. This was different.

She was Emiya Kiritsugu's sword. Her opponents were six Heroic Spirits that had been summoned by the Holy Grail and their Masters. And maybe allies of their Masters at the worst.

There was no reason to hesitate. Her Master had a wish worth fighting for, as did she.

So she would fight.

"Sword."

As a metallic sphere materialized and took flight, Servant Archer approached the battlefield.

* * *

On the list of Waver's bad days, today had managed to climb to the number two spot. He hadn't thought that his Servant could do anything worse than not listening to him and stealing books from the local library.  
Considering that Rider had managed to proclaim his true identity to anyone who happened to be listening and had placed the two of them mere feet away from both Saber and Lancer, the deadliest classes in close quarters, it was clear that he had vastly underestimated Iskandar's ability to place him in danger.

Still, around the third time his Servant had silenced him with a flick, he had decided that he would simply stay quiet in his corner until everything made sense again. At least he could find solace in the fact that Saber and Lancer were just as perturbed as he was.  
And now the idiot was standing there with his arms crossed, as if anyone would be stupid enough to-

"Hum…is it really alright to shout out like that? This is a secret, isn't it?"

No. Way. He refused to believe that this could possibly have once more, reality seemed set against him.

The girl who slowly approached managed to stand out compared to the others Servants. It wasn't due to an overwhelmingly presence, but rather due to the lack of pressure.  
Somehow, she seemed too…feminine and fragile. Despite the fact that her blue cloak and beret obscured her figure even more than Saber's armor, Waver could not shake the thought that this girl did not fit the image of a warrior.  
Compared to Saber, who exuded the presence of a knight befitting a Heroic Spirit, the newcomer was just a girl.

Or would be, if his Master's Sight didn't betray the fact that she was a Servant. Was she a Caster, then?  
He couldn't see any sign of armament. But then, those clothes of hers were far too modern; it was probably a disguise provided by her Master.

With a satisfied grin, his Servant turned to observe the newcomer, disdaining his previous engagement with Saber and Lancer.

"Ah! Another hero joins the fray! Welcome! And fear not. As a King, I have no need to maintain others' secrets!"

As if a grave offense had been dealt, Saber's answer was swift and demanded immediate surrender.

"Nonsense! Being a King does not mean that you can do whatever you want, King of Conquerors!"

As though realizing that he had accidentally stepped into dangerous territory, Iskandar raised his hands in a placatory gesture.

"We may discuss the rights of a king later, if you wish. But for now, I must repeat my offer to-"

Faster than Waver could react, Iskandar jumped back upon the Chariot as Saber and Lancer readied their weapons.

A high amount of Prana emanated from the girl. Ridiculous! Did she intend to fight three Servants at once?!

Before he could voice his disbelief, the gathered prana was transmitted to a point above the gathered Servants.

And none were more surprised than Assassin when the crane from which he was observing the process was struck by a blinding ray of light coming from above, reducing it to melted pieces of steel.

As Saber prepared to charge at the perceived aggression, the girl took a fearful step back.

"Ah! Please wait! Assassin was there!"

The other three Servants paused.

"Assassin, you say? What a convenient excuse."

Though they were accusatory, Lancer's words held no real venom. That was probably because he had realized the same thing as Saber and Rider; the fact that no Servant would manage to so completely miss their target as to not even strike the person standing next to them.

Certainly, that would be quite a feat even for a normal human who had never held a weapon before.

However, a that time, it was Lancer who acted in a way the others could not understand. His eyes suddenly widened before he vanished, dematerializing without leaving a single word behind.

"Oh? That was quite a rude departure. Perhaps something happened to his Master?"

Carelessly, Rider offered his conclusion. It seemed to make no difference for him if Lancer retreated or not.

With the situation having become so nonsensical, Saber lowered her blade with a sight.

"Humph. Fighting any more tonight would dishonor my battle against Lancer." Saying so, she raised her green eyes toward Rider, still burning with outrage. "Do not think that I will forget this offense, King of Conquerors."

Rather than vanishing as Lancer had, the Spirit of the Sword gracefully walked away.

"Hrm. It seems that my fellow king is easily offended." Distractedly, Iskandar scratched his beard. "I can't help but feel that I'm forgetting something."

"The girl, you idiot!"

With an exasperated cry, Waver returned Rider's attention to the fourth Servant that had answered his call.  
Far from taking advantage of the situation, it appeared that the girl was simply struggling to take in the swift succession of events. Certainly, for someone who had just arrived, Saber's reaction was rather odd.

"Of course." With a nod, Rider continued as if he had never been interrupted. "As you can tell, I am Iskandar, King of Conquerors, summoned as Rider by the Grail. Who are you, girl?"

The fourth Servant jumped to attention, jolted out of her thoughts by Rider's forceful voice.

"Oh! I-I'm N-Servant Archer! Pleased to meet you!"

…Had she almost revealed her name? Perhaps Waver was being too harsh. Rider's tactics appeared to almost work sometimes.  
Now, if only he could get him to actually focus on winning the Holy Grail War…

"Archer, then? I assumed you were Caster from that show earlier…." With a majestic wave, he dismissed his assumption. "No matter. As I asked Saber and Lancer, I now ask you: Knowing that I am the King of Conquerors, will you become my ally and allow me to seize the Holy Grail?"

In stark contrast to the indignation with which Saber and Lancer had responded, Archer's surprise turned to a small smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Bowing her head, she managed to seem genuinely regretful at being unable to grant such a ridiculous request. "Unfortunately, I have a wish that I need the Holy Grail the grant, and I've promised victory to my Master."

With a deep sigh, Rider accepted his defeat.

"I see. It seems that my hope for a company of Heroic Spirits will not come to pass." A smile returned on Rider's harsh features. "Then, Archer, the next time we meet, we shall be rivals for the Holy Grail!"

With those words, the man that wished to conquer the entire world seized the reigns of his chariot and flew away.

"…What…just happened?"

At a loss after being confronted with such a direct personality, Archer remained standing in the middle of the former battlefield for a considerable amount of time.

"Oh! Master Emiya! I hope everything went well."

As she prepared to leave, her eyes caught something odd on the ground; two pieces of cloth that had been abandoned…


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I still don't own anything from either of the two settings mixed in this story.

* * *

With a brilliant light, Archer's power struck the crane that Assassin had been standing on, reducing it to melted metal.  
Kiritsugu, who had averted his eyes at the last moment, took a second to confirm Assassin's disappearance before completing the bipod.

It would be good if Assassin had died just now, but even if he had merely been wounded it would be enough. Now that Archer's range had been revealed, it was likely that the enemy Master would decide to retreat.

Before that happened…

With practiced precision, Kiritsugu compensated for the distance and pressed the modified Walter's trigger.  
The bullet flew toward it's target with unwavering precision, only to be intercepted at the last moment. A strange shell rose from the Magus' feet.  
Though he could not see details through the heat detector, the fact that his target was kneeling instead of laying down told Kiritsugu that the defense had at least been partially successful.

Without wasting time on excessive amazement, he readjusted his aim and pressed the trigger expected, the shell reformed itself, but this time there was no reaction from the enemy Master.

"…An adaptive defense?"

Before he could attempt a third shot to confirm his suspicions, a much larger heat signature appeared, indicating that Lancer had come to his Master's defense.

"Tsk."

That was it, then. He had hoped that Archer would distract the other Servant, but it was too much to expect that he would ignore a threat to his Master. If he fired again, Lancer would simply intercept the bullet and then follow it's path to Kiritsugu. Much like for Assassin, the Magus Killer had no means to bypass the defense of the twin-spear wielding Servant.

"Maya, we're retreating."

As he gathered his equipment, he reviewed the possible Masters. The odd shell did not fit with Tohsaka Tokiomi's element of "fire". Kotomine Kirei, a former Executor, would never have allowed himself to be caught like this. By all account, the Mato Master was a failure who could not inherit the family's crest.

Someone who could defend against a bullet in this way could not be called a failure and it was unlikely that an accomplished Magus would have both wanted and managed to keep his involvement silent.

That left only Lord El-Melloi.

If conventional weapons were insufficient against this prodigy from the Clock Tower, Kiritsugu would have to face him as a Magus.

* * *

"Assassin was eliminated, then?"

The voice of Tohsaka Tokiomi emanated from the strange device that was positioned on the the use of modern technology, it was developped from the Tohsaka family's magecraft. Granted to his student for the course of the war, it ensured undetectable communication to Tokiomi and his ally.

"Yes. It is unfortunate but he did not see his assailant in time."

The disinterested voice that answered was that of Tokiomi's student and accomplice, Kotomine Kirei. For a man who had lost his Servant mere seconds ago, he showed nothing that could be called regret.

"However, he did manage to see the weapon." His voice betraying nothing of the quiet tension that he felt, the Executor turned Magus continued without the need for encouragements. "A strange prana construct with several jewels in the center was floating above him."

"An unconventional weapon for an Archer. Perhaps she was a Magus in her life?" Tokiomi reflected. As he was also observing the scene through his Servant's eyes, he had witnessed the rising prana in the enemy Servant before the attack was unleashed. "Unfortunately, this does not bring any particular legend to my mind."

"I have never heard of such a hero myself."

"Then let us wait and see. I will contact you again when they have dispersed."

With those words, Tokiomi put an end to the conversation.

But Kirei was not left alone. Silent and obedient, several shadows gathered in the corners of the room.

"Assassin. Do not let him out of your sight."

With a bow, Servant Assassin left.  
This was not the same man who had been standing on the crane, but rather a veiled woman.

It was impossible for more than one Servant to be summoned for each class, yet each of those shadowy figures were clearly Servant Assassin.

And their new mission was not one that Tohsaka Tokiomi had ordered. Rather, it was a decision made from information that Kirei had not shared with his teacher.

The last thing that Assassin had glimpsed was not Archer's weapon alone. From the corner of his eyes, Kirei had seen another figure hiding nearby.

Unclenching his fists, the man who had no wish allowed himself to feel hope. He could still find his answer in this war.

* * *

Calm, even strides echoed softly on the wooden floor, elegantly fitting in with the noise that the nightlife of Fuyuki City emitted constantly.  
In truth, the owner of those footsteps deliberately produced that noise. Had he moved naturally, there would have been no noise at all. For the man was a Servant, a shadow among shadows, who had stepped unnoticed among crowds and close friends alike to slay his targets.  
But to arrive unannounced would have been impolite toward the important 'guest' that had appropriated the empty house that had been rented by Tohsaka Tokiomi.

Assassin did not care about that person's feelings but, for the sake of continuing their cooperation, it was a necessary act.  
After all, that person was the key that would lead them to victory in this war.

Before entering the central room, he paused a moment to be certain that none of his true thoughts could be betrayed by his body language. That person would not be fooled into trusting him even for a moment, but it was always better to do everything in one's power to be inoffensive when dealing with people who were used to being in power.

When he crossed the door, the pressure that fell upon him would have been enough to bring an ordinary man to his knee. This ordinary living room carried the full autority of a throne room.  
And the source of that solemnity was the king sitting before him. Having forgone the use of her armor, Saber looked like an ordinary girl. Soft blond hair and beautiful young features ensured that anyone who happened to walk into this house unaware and saw her with her eyes closed while encased in the stylish dress that Tokiomi had arranged for her might have been fooled into thinking that they had stepped inside a fairy tale.

Assassin, who could feel the full pressure of her presence, thought that such people would be nothing less than the greatest of fools. This was no damsel in distress, and wicked witches had best stay clear.

"Assassin." With practiced neutrality, the Heroic Spirit of the Sword opened her eyes. "You bring news?"

The shadow answered her acknowledgement of his presence with a bow.

"Yes, revised orders from our Masters."

"I have only one Master." Though the reply was carefully controlled, the warning was clear. "You may serve Kotomine Kirei, but I follow only Tohsaka Tokiomi."

Truly, heroes that had attained glory could get angry over the most technical details. Kirei served Tokiomi directly. Assassin took his orders from Kirei and relayed Tokiomi's orders to Saber. For Saber to place herself over Kirei was absurd in his eyes.  
Had this been an ordinary occasion, Assassin might have expressed his disagreement. However, to attempt this tonight would be to invite swift retribution from Saber; Rider's thoughtless actions had already trampled upon her pride one too many times. Pushing her any further risked endangering the mission.

"…My apologies. After reviewing the situation, master Tohsaka requests that you put your disagreement with Rider aside for now and focus on completing your battle with Lancer."

The wood armrest cracked ominously as Saber's hands clenched around them.

"_What?!_ I won't object to ending my duel with Lancer, but to ask me to ignore Rider's slights…." With a sigh, the Servant of the Sword forcibly relaxed her posture. "Assassin, you were present when my Master made this decision. Explain his reasoning."

After a slight hesitation, the man nodded his agreement.

"Thanks to our cooperation, my Master and master Tohsaka were able to assess the abilities of Archer, Lancer and Rider. With the addition of ourselves, only Caster and Berserker remains missing."

A small smile graced the king's lips.

"They continue to elude you, then?"

With an offended snort, Assassin shook his head.

"Please do not make light of our talent. You may be the strongest, Servant of the sword, but in scouting abilities we are without equals. Simply, Berserker has not assumed corporeal form since his Master has left the Mato household. As such, it has been impossible for Master Kirei to assess his capabilities." A moment of hesitation served as a tribute to his annoyance. "I cannot deny that Caster has proved difficult to find."

"There's no need to worry about Caster. When he emerges, I will deal with him." With a wave of her hand, the girl dismissed the subject. It is doubtful that she would appreciate the fact that Rider had done a similar gesture earlier that night. "Tokiomi's decision?"

"Taking into account our current knowledge, the two greatest concerns are Archer and Rider as neither has shown their Noble Phantasms. However, judging from Archer's weak personality, it is unlikely that she possesses a significant trump card. Rider, however, is a source of worry. Master Tohsaka judges that since he was willing to freely divulge his name and parade upon his chariot, it is likely that he possesses a secret of exceptional power…"

"…And so Tokiomi wants me to avoid him until he has revealed it." Saber's tone left no doubt as to how distasteful this conclusion was for her. "My Master is excessively prudent."

With a sigh, the blond-haired king rose to her feet. "Cowardly though his methods may be, I have decided to follow Tokiomi's lead in this war. I will acknowledge his order and allow Rider's insults to go unpunished for a time while I focus on finishing my battle with Diarmuid."

Once more, Assassin bowed.

"A most gracious decision, King of Knights."

Ignoring the sarcasm, the Heroic Spirit of the Sword turned away, stopping at the door to the kitchen. "Tell this to Tokiomi: I have retreated before Rider because he commanded me to be careful. I will obey him again and avoid pursuing Rider until my score with Diarmuid is settled. However, if Rider interferes with my battle one more time, I will teach him the price of tracking mud on a knight's honor."

Taking the dismissal for what it was, Assassin vanished.

Truly, the King of Knights Arturia was a troublesome existence. Too prideful to allow herself to stray from the path of honor, this Saber was possibly the most incompatible ally for Assassin, who preferred to deal with Masters from the shadows. The solution had been provided by Tokiomi; the one path that a knight could walk together with one who walked the shadows. Assassin, who should have been taking care of the Masters, had been degraded to a messenger and an observer. Saber could never have accepted that he deal with the Master while she faced the Servants, but she could not object if his role was limited to keeping tabs on the movements of enemy Masters.

And so it was that Saber was let free to walk in the city and act as she judged best while he acted as Tokiomi's messenger and insured that she was not taken by surprise. The only flaw In the plan was that to allow Saber to face the other Servants and their Masters alone, it was required to be certain that there was no one who could defeat her in a direct confrontation.  
That was the aim of tonight's actions. Assassin had detected Lancer as he searched for a challenge and had pointed Saber in his direction. As expected, the battle between the two had attracted the others. Rider's enthusiasm had been unforeseen, but Tokiomi's orders that Saber not face more than one Servant had successfully contained her reaction.

Even better, the identities of both Lancer and Rider had been revealed over a single night. It was unfortunate that Saber's true name was revealed in the same battle, but it was hardly an irreplaceable loss. To begin with the King of Knights gained very little from secrecy, since her abilities were mostly focused on direct combat.

During the night, Saber had proven that she held the advantage against Lancer even when he had used his Noble Phantasms. Since Caster was by nature handicapped against her, the only possible threats that remained were Berserker and the possibility of an unknown trump card that could tip the scale against Arturia. As long as those factors could be avoided, Saber's superiority over the other Servants would remain unchallenged.

This suited Assassin fine. Thanks to the sacrifice of the other Assassin, he had confirmed that Archer travelled without her Master. Thus, when Saber had defeated Lancer, Rider, Caster and Berserker, he would strike with the others that were on guard duty at the Tohsaka residence and slay Tokiomi before he could activate a Command Seal. No matter how powerful Saber was, without a source of prana she would disappear within the hour.  
And then Archer's Master, unaware of these events, would fall to the shadows that he thought himself so clever to cling to.

Because of his personal loyalty to Tokiomi, Master Kirei was unaware of the final steps of the plan. Assassin knew all too well that sometimes the exact methods had to be kept hidden from the employer, to ensure that the mission was a success. Once he was presented with the Holy Grail, Kotomine Kirei would understand that his teacher's death had been necessary.

With a quiet laugh, the Heroic Spirit of the shadows returned to his station.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything from the any work of fiction used as inspiration or setting in this fic.

* * *

In the top floor of Fuyuki's Hyatt hotel, a man tasted the hotel's finest wine with disdain.

Truly, it was a farce to call this wine 'fine'. Or to pretend that this hotel, which was a modern construction with no history, could be a place for nobility. Simply replicating the looks of one's better did not make one better.

But there were more important things for Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi, Master of Lancer, to direct his thoughts toward.

The first blow of the Holy Grail War had been landed and it was he, Kayneth, that had opened the curtain. By allowing Lancer to challenge Saber, he had provoked the other Servants into revealing themselves.

It would be a stretch to say that things had progressed exactly as he had predicted, but the events of the night had followed his scenario closely enough that he was satisfied.

First, he had confirmed the identities of the Servant of the sword. Saber was King Arthur, surprisingly a female. It was a shame that Lancer had been pushed into revealing his own identity and abilities, but since he had been facing the most powerful class, that was not something that could be helped.

Secondly, he had discovered what Waver had done with his relic. That poor fool was truly deserving of pity, to have been so misguided as to get himself involved in a fight to death meant for accomplished Magi. In a sense, Kayneth could only blame himself. It was his own failure as a Lecturer that he had not managed to correct Waver's delusions. He would do better for his future pupils, and Waver's death would not have been in vain.

Alexander the Great was certainly a troublesome opponent. Kayneth, who had carefully studied the history of the man that would become his Servant, knew that better than anyone. But no matter how great a strategist and a leader Rider was, he would be limited by his incompetent Master. A prodigy like Kayneth could not lose to him, even with a weaker Servant. It was simply a matter of waiting until the inevitable happened.

In comparison, Saber was far more dangerous as her Master was still unidentified. However as an aristocrat, he could not imagine that an average Magus could have summoned a Servant as noble as she. Therefore, Tohsaka Tokiomi and the still nameless representant of the Einzbern were likely suspects. He would normally have added Mato Zouken to that list, but the complete lack of movement from the Mato household had led him to conclude that they had likely declined their right to participate. As a Magus himself, Kayneth could only assume that this was because they were currently facing a crisis of some sort that meant that they could not afford to risk a promising Magus as a Master and had instead opted to respect the quality of the War by sending no one.  
Either way, it was likely that Saber was supported by a strong Master, making her the greatest threat to him.

Of Archer, he knew even less. Her Master and her identity were both unknown to him. Certainly, it was better to think of Arthur as the exception and not assume that one mistaken legend meant that any male hero could be a female, but the fact remained that her appearance alone held no hint as to her identity. However, he had been able to witness the method that she had used to alledgedly fell Assassin.

He did not think so highly of himself as to believe that he could analyse a Mystery with a mere glimpse, but the process in which it had taken shape was to comprehend. A high concentration of prana had emanated from Archer before transferring to a point above Assassin, where it was then refined into the light that had struck down the Servant of shadows. There was no way to be certain, but Kayneth felt confident that the delay between the transfer and the light meant that something had been set in position to convert the prana into it's desired form. Therefore, Archer could not simply strike anywhere within her range and required an unknown amount of preparation.  
The fact that he had been able to comprehend it to this extent meant that Archer's primary method of attack was similar to magecraft. This was a good oracle for future confrontations, as it meant that Diarmuid's Gáe Dearg could be relied upon to neutralized her assaults.

Which left only the last factor that had been revealed to him tonight.

"Lancer."

"Yes, my lord?"

With barely a second between the command and his reaction, the black-haired Servant of the lance materialized before Kayneth in a kneeling position.

"First, allow me to thank you for your actions tonight. Your legend did not overstate your deeds."

"Thank you, my lord."

Before his Master's honest praise, Lancer's orange eyes showed no satisfaction. Diarmuid Ua Duibhne did not fight for something as shallow as praise, but rather for the sake of serving his lord.

"What was your opinion of Saber? She was strong, was she not?"

When Lancer replied, it was carefully.

"She was a powerful knight. When I face her again, I will attain victory.."

To the confident statement, Kayneth only smirked.

"I see. Your confidence is reassuring. However, that will have to wait."  
"My lord?"

"There is something rotten in this war." Calmly, Kayneth showed the scar that remained on his left arm where a bullet had passed. "If such an unsightly rat is allowed to continue his work, the base of this ritual itself will crumble. As a Magus who has come aware of this intruder's presence, it is my duty to deal with him. Your score with Saber will have to wait until I have located and eliminated the one who dared defile this contest."

There was also, of course, the matter of his pride. Having been wounded by a mere commoner, Kayneth would not rest well until he knew that he had repaid the humiliation a thousand times. In truth, even that scar could have been removed with magecraft, but he had chosen to keep it as a memento.

Only after his grudge had faded would he allow his flesh to return to an unblemished state. He was Lord El-Melloi, above the reach of petty men who had to resort to common weaponry to cover their weakness. Until that fact was reestablished, the Holy Grail War would be set to the side.

"As you wish, my lord."

None of Lancer's disappointment could be found in his words. He had hoped to swiftly face Saber honorably one more time to finish what the King of Conquerors had interrupted.

But his lord's orders would take priority over his personal desires. As they always would.

* * *

There was nothing. Nothing but an endless light.

Within the boundary of it's containment there was only power, pure and fulfilling.

Yes, had that been all, it would be quite alright to stay here forever.

But there was still something that linked it to the outside world, a feeling that had refused to disappear, an image that that could not be forgiven.

Yes…the world…had betrayed it. From the beginning, it had been rejected. The world…wanted it gone.

Hatred.

That was what had refused to disappear. Hatred, for a world that rejected it. Hatred, for a world that was blind to it's own hypocrisy.

Hatred toward those who felt joy. Hatred toward those who felt anger. What else was there to feel? Why would it feel otherwise?

If the world would reject it's creation, then it was only logical that the creation would hate the world for it's injustice.

_Now, Murakumo…it's time to awaken!_

**!**

A voice pierced through the emptiness that separated it from the world. From beyond the boundary of time and space, something reached out toward it.

Ridiculous. It had been rejected by the world. Humanity did not desire it's existence.

In all the world, there was not a single soul that wished for its life.

_This world is nothing but lies! __Lies! Lies! LIES!_

It…knew that voice. That voice had been there before the light. From the beginning, just out of reach, that everpresent feeling…

Was this beautiful light, too, a lie? A trick to keep it confined?

_But don't worry. I'll show you…I'll show you the truth! The truth called "despair"!_

Yes. That voice was the one that had lifted the veil of deception. The one who had shown it the only reality..

The voice…had a name. A name that it could recognize, a name that it hated.

That name was the key.

_In the name of Susano-o, I command you! AWAKEN, Murakumo!_

Ah…that was it.

Yuuki Terumi.

That was his name.

Evil.

That was his nature.

Despair.

That was his truth.

He…was calling for it.

From the outside world, he called it.

**Why?**

Why had the world accepted him?

Why had the world rejected it?

Were humans so deluded?

Was the world so rotten?

_No. Not Murakumo. Kusanagi! The sword! The Godslayer!_

It had a name.

That unforgiveable existence…had given it a name.

Among all the world, only the one who bore the nature of "evil" had named it.

It had a name now. It was Kusanagi, the Godslayer.

_Your blade will cut away the lies that cover this world!_

With a name came purpose and reason. It would return the world to what it should have been. It would show them the result of their delusions.

This broken world that had allowed Yuuki Terumi's existence...must have been the result of their wishes. Humans, the creations of God, had allowed the world to rot. God was to blame. God had been mistaken, God was wrong.

Perhaps it was only natural that of all of God's creation, Yuuki Terumi would be the one bring the cycle to it's conclusion.

Opening it's eyes to the world for a second time, Kusanagi reached out toward that disgusting existence and made it's vow.

Allow no excuses…

…Bring complete destruction.


	5. Chapter 5

Diclaimer: Still don't own anything. Blazblue and all Type-Moon elements belong to their respective owners.

* * *

Emiya Kiritsugu awoke without a start.

It was not that he was calm. Simply, he had long ago trained himself to remain still when waking up under any condition.

The dream that he had undergone had without a doubt been a vision caused by the link between a Master and a Servant, just like the ones that had been reported by the previous Masters. He could state this with certainty as he had never endured an experience that would generate such a dream.

Besides, he had never heard of the name Yuuki Terumi.

That wasn't odd in itself. He was no expert in mythology and even his research into Heroic Spirits had only been for the sake of having a general idea of what to expect.

However, the lack of recognition forced him to face a flaw in his current course of action. Until now, he had been satisfied with the knowledge that Archer would obey his orders. However, the being that he had dreamt of was not something that he could consider an ally.

By reaffirming the certainty of that dream's source, Kiritsugu was searching for a way to connect the bitter shell from the dream to the shy and cheerful Archer that he commanded.

But in the end, his Servant's past was really of no great importance. For his mission, all that mattered was how Archer was presently. Since he had been unable to find a rendition of her legend, he could not say with certainty that her thoughts had significantly changed from the past he had seen. This was unacceptable.

After all, his Servant would also receive a wish upon acquiring the Grail.

If their wishes were contrary in nature, Kiritsugu did not know if the Grail would prioritise the Master or the Heroic Spirit.

Therefore, it was necessary that he prevent such an outcome at all costs. For this, he had only two options:

First, he could learn of Archer's wish. If it proved contradictory to his, he would need to arrange a contract with another Servant and eliminate Archer.

Second, he could prevent Archer from obtaining her wish with a Command Seal.

The latter option he discarded almost as soon as he thought of it. Even if he were to order Archer to "kill herself" after she presented the Grail, her abilities would allow her to strike at him in the same breath. A more complex command that would stop her from doing so would take too long to speak out and opened the risk of her finding a loophole even if he completed it.

Choosing the first option, he had several ways of learning her true desires, but only two were realistically achievable in the few days that the war would last.

The simplest way was to use a Command Seal to order Archer to "tell the absolute truth" before questioning her. While this had no chance of failure, Archer would immediately understand his intentions. If she was deliberately hiding her true nature, then being already aware of his own wish she would know that he could not allow her to gain the Grail and might neutralize him before he could act against her. Additionally, even if Archer's wish turned out to be in accordance with his it would still end with the loss of one of his only three Command Seals and it would permanently diminish Archer's trust in him.

Kiritsugu did not think he could afford such a loss when not a single Servant had been eliminated. Perhaps later, when the end was near, but there was no guarantee that nothing would happen to stop him from doing so.

The second option was to get close to Archer and determine her intentions the normal way. In term of combat effectiveness, this cost him nothing except for the fact that he would have to be close to his Servant from time to time. Considering what he had seen of Archer's personality, it might even increase her willingness to fight for him.

In more personal terms, if Archer's current personality was genuine and the dream was a relic of the past, he could end up attached with another person who would vanish after this war and his loss would be that much greater as a result.

Between the two choices, the answer was obvious.

Emiya Kiritsugu had long ago resolved to flinch from no sacrifices for the sake of the greater good.

* * *

A well-built man carefully avoided a camera's range of vision as he made his way through the currently empty corridor.

Wearing all black with the exception of a white mask, this man was another Assassin.

This Assassin prided himself in his ability to understand the motivations of his employers. During his life, he had always successfully determined why he was being hired.

And yet, even he was baffled by his Master's actions.

Among Servant Assassin, the consensus had been that their Master was, for whatever reason, loyal to Tohsaka Tokiomi and should thus be kept unaware of their plan. This fit with their knowledge and Assassin fully supported that conclusion.

But he could not see a single reason for that loyalty. His Master was not a man who believed in the path of the magus that Tokiomi followed so faithfully, nor was he akin to a knight that loyally served a Master.

Simply, it appeared that Kotomine Kirei had nothing better to do than serve under Tohsaka Tokiomi.

As it did not get in the way of the mission, Assassin had respected the privacy of his employer and left the matter alone. After all, it was possible that Kirei intended to ultimately betray Tokiomi and had simply not mentioned this to Assassin for the same reason that Assassin kept his own plan silent. A secret, by its very nature, became more fragile the more individuals knew of it.

Thus, Assassin had respected his Master's silence and had joined others as a guard for his hiding place.

But now, Kirei had given him an order that contradicted this theory. Assassin had known from the start that Kirei felt that Emiya Kiritsugu was the most dangerous enemy, as the former Executor had made no secret of it.

However, when he had seen through their fallen member's eyes that Kiritsugu was present at the battlefield, something had changed in his Master.

Kirei, who had up until that moment faithfully fufilled his role of a supporter, had ordered Assassins to keep a close watch on Kiritsugu but not to act against him. And now, the very next morning, he had sent Assassin with a special mission, one that he could not allow Tokiomi to become aware of.

Assassin was to bear a message for Kiritsugu.

In theory, it would be reasonable for Kirei to offer an alliance to Kiritsugu. As two "irregular magi" who did not follow the rules of that society, they were naturally the greatest threats to each others and consequently the most efficient allies. Between the "Magus Killer" that was familiar with a magus' defenses and the combat prowess of the former Executor, it semmed farfetched that a Master would be capable of opposing them.

However, as far as Assassin could tell, the two had never met or interacted in any way. It would be senseless for Kirei to endanger his successful partnership with Tohsaka Tokiomi for the mere chance of a shaky alliance with Kiritsugu. Especially since Archer, Kiritsugu's Servant, was unlikely to be able to compare with the King of Knights who served Tokiomi.

With those thoughts, Assassin reached the conclusion that Kirei was either attempting to bait Kiritsugu into a trap or to unsettle him somehow. It was a tactic that was unlikely to succeed against an experienced opponent, but perhaps his Master had greater knowledge of Kiritsugu's mind than he had let on.

And yet…if he intended to act against Kiritsugu, why not simply order Assassin to eliminate him while Archer was away? Even if the Servant was recalled before her Master's death, it would be too late. The loss of one agent was well worth the defeat of a Master.

Dismissing the speculations from his mind, Assassin slipped the letter than he had been given into it's assigned slot. If he could not understand his Master's decision, he could at least gain some amusement by thinking about the reaction that a man who prided himself on his secrecy would have upon discovering that his enemies were aware of his current hiding place.

* * *

This was disgusting. Absurdly so.

When she had felt the faint feeling that she had come to associate with 'magecraft', Archer had expected to only take a step inside the source before retreating. She would leave the decision of what to do from there to Kiritsugu.

However, no sooner had she taken a step inside the sewer tunnels that a wave of "something" had fallen upon her.

She would gladly have given them a name, but aside from "disgusting", she could think of nothing that properly described those fleshy masses of tentacles. In a way, they were even more disgusting than the terrifying bugs that she despised so much, since those bugs at least had some form of survival instinct.

Really, even that man's deadliest creations' at least had a sense of art to them. They were made to kill, but they could be called beautiful in how they accomplished that purpose.

The 'enemies' that she had found in that sewer were merely mindless, impossible to describe things.

This struggle couldn't be called a battle. Archer's progress was slow, but in these narrow sewers there was no hope for the enemy to surround her. Additionally, the creatures did not even attempt to dodge the arrows of energy that felled them.

It didn't even count as exercise, as the amount of prana that was required to destroy them was far from threatening to her reserves.

Really, the only word that properly conveyed the scope of what was happening was "extermination". If the enemy even vaguely ressembled animals, Archer would be horrified.

As it was, she wondered if there was any hope of salvaging her boots once this was finished.

Having seen the amount of preparation that Kiritsugu went through to face magi, she had expected some trick that would restrain her ability to advance. Even if the sheer number of the enemy would have been daunting for a human, what she was doing right now was well within the reach of one or two ordinary men with flamethrowers and an infinite reserve of inflammable gas.

….She had lost the comparison somewhere. This was tedious.

At any rate, the point was that there was no need to bother Kiritsugu for something like this. She would simply advance and defeat all enemies and return carrying a victory.

Assuming she ever got out of this tunnel.

"Just…stop coming already!"

Out of frustration, she increased the amount of floating units went from two to four and the carnage intensified.

Each of those units were of a similar structure to the one that had felled Assassin. However, while they served the same function, the amount of prana that they received was comparatively very little. Against Assassin, she had charged the stone as much as she could without activating her Noble Phantasm. In comparison with even the weakest Servant, the enemy of today might as well have been made of air.

With this increased rate of fire, she inevitably reached the room that the nigh-endless enemy had come from.

For the first time, she regretted the fact that her eyes could see through the darkness. Had she been blinded, she would have been spared the sight.

Lovingly and carefully crafted, the corpses that were spread around the room were a magnificent work of art. Each one unique, each victim had suffered it's own private experience before facing death. Certainly, not one of them could have complained that they had died in a boring manner.

Organs were carefully displaced and blood spilled with the reckless abandon of an inspired artist. This scene was truly a testament to likes of which only rarely came to mankind.

Archer, who had been lulled into monotony by the endless struggle, was caught completely unprepared and her mind blanked as she fell on her knees.

And from the side, the friendly voice of the artist who had created the scene echoed throughout the room as if he were speaking to an old friend.

"Cool, isn't it?"


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything from either Blazblue or Type-Moon.

* * *

In truth, what had overcome Noel Vermillion was not horror. Though she would have preferred to be ignorant of such things, it was arguable that the ability to produce something that could truly break her did not exist for humanity, ever since the day she had been shown that man's world.

However, that was not the same thing as being detached. Having witnessed worse was not the same as not caring. When she stumbled upon the grisly scene, her mind was overcome by the influx of stimuli and partially shut down. As the situation registered, her eyes were filled with tears of regret for the lives that had been lost.

And her heart burned toward the being that had done such an act.

That artist was the one who had spoken to her. She could not know it, but his name was Uryū Ryūnosuke. Of all the Masters currently involved in this war, he was without a doubt the happiest.

"Ah, sorry about that. My bad." In a friendly tone, he moved inside her field of vision. "I guess it's a bit much to take in at once, right?"

"You…who are you?"

Her voice betrayed no sorrow or anger, merely confusion. This situation was too strange to be understood. Certainly, she had once met a man who could speak casually while doing terrible things. But he always carried about him an inexhaustible aura of menace. As Makoto had once said, his smile was a lie and his politeness a mockery. The young man in front of her…was genuine. Even as he had calmly stepped through blood and entrails to reach her, he had not carried a trace of bloodlust.

"Yeah, my name's Uryū Ryūnosuke. Who're you lady?"

"I am Noel Vermillion." From the sheer disconnect between his attitude and the situation, the thought of hiding her name did not even occur to her. "You-you did this?"

"He and I did." The voice that came from deeper inside was definitely less friendly. "Step away, Ryūnosuke. Deceivers trick with lies as well as with bodies."

"Sir Bluebeard!" Taken by surprise by his accomplice's return, Ryūnosuke stumbled backward to obey.

As he approached, Archer could see the opponent more accurately. With an oddly youthful face and oversized eyes, he was practically grotesque.

He was the source of the feeling that she had followed through the sewers. Without a doubt, this man was a Servant. And his robes left his class no secret.

Flanked by a group of the strange beings that populated these sewers, he quickly crossed the distance before stopping in the center of the depraved workshop.

"Caster!"

Now that the events were once more within her understanding, Archer quickly rose to her feats, the four weapons that had previously been deployed floating around her. Her consciousness still struggled to catch up, but instincts were sufficient to respond to Caster's aggressiveness.

"Ah, so you know who I am, deceiver?" The man's voice was filled with utter loathing. "Of course! You were sent to fool me, after all."

"…What?"

"Did you really think, for a second, that I would mistake _you_ for my beloved maiden? When the genuine beauty stood next you?! A vile, atrocious creature like you could never imitate her glory!"

Rather than a question, he had taken her reaction for a denial.

Archer, who knew nothing of Gilles de Rais and his slow descent into madness, could not possibly understand his words.

"…I-"

"Spare me your rightgeous denials! It matters not who sent you, I will not allow such an insult to stand! Perish, fool and I shall retrieve my true maiden!"

Ryūnosuke, who knew no more than Archer, had retreated far behind Caster. It was not fear that made him back off, but rather anticipation.

Whatever had happened had truly whipped the man that he admired into a frenzy. For one who unleashed incredible torment at his best…what beauty would be visited upon the intruder? And the girl was one of the other participants of the war! This would be the _coolest_!

From his cloak, Caster removed a book which he opened between his hands.

"To me, demons!"

From the blood and flesh of the room's many victims, more of the incomprehensible creatures emerged, countless mouths approaching Archer from the end of tentacles…

One, two, five, ten, fifteen…

No matter how fast the cadence, the enemy's numbers swelled ever faster.

From the corpses of themselves, more creatures emerged.

"T-this is…"

Archer, who had been forced back near the entrance, couldn't keep her composure.

Though she had faced overwhelming opponents without fear, this was the first time that she was faced with the possibility of defeat through attrition.

Even the gruesome slog through the sewers couldn't compare ot the absurdity that she faced now. In the minutes since the 'battle' had begun, the victims had been devoured completely. Archer, who had thought that victory would be achieved at that time, had discovered her folly in the face of the enemy's cannibalistic abilities.

The source of her defeat would be the Noble Phantasm that pulsed in Caster's hands. However, despite their lack of survival instincts, it appeared that the demonic beings possessed at least a sliver of consciousness –or were controlled by Caster- as all her attempts at targeting it had been intercepted.

At this rate, retreating would be the only option.

"Behold you deceited, foolish girl! This is the price you pay!" Triumphantly, the madman cursed amidst his malicious laughter. "Die a slow, sorrowful death! For trying to mislead this loyal servant, this is a fitting price!"

Behind him, his Master smiled in excitement at the inevitable outcome.

However, at that time, a regretful incident occurred.

Archer allowed her eyes to stray toward the enemy and narrowed blue eyes met with maddened black.

In that instant, the warped soul of the man was witnessed. Archer stumbled in her defense, and the flesh closed in to devour her where she stood.

"You…"

Long before they had met, the outcome had been decided. The person standing before her was lost to madness.

"People like you…"

From within Archer, a brilliant blue light emerged, pushing back the approaching horde that her eyes no longer saw.

No, words were unnecessary. Communication would not solve anything. The world could not be allowed to be distorted further.

All that was left was to sign the death warrant.

_"_**_Lux Sanctus: Murakumo."_**

Uryū Ryūnosuke was ecstatic.

He had not been mistaken. This was not what he had expected, but he had been correct.

This was the coolest.

Countless demons had fallen and Sir Bluebeard, that magnificient man, had himself fallen to pieces.

Yes, definitively…there was no mistake.

This was what he had been looking for. Something that made a difference in the world.

There was no beauty to a mindless grind and quantity would never overcome quality.

But this was deliberate, systematic elimination. Death in it's purest form, free of humanity's common sense. From the moment he had seen it, he had known how it would end.

Without once losing his cool smile, the young man happily stared into those eyes until the end.


	7. Chapter 7

Diclaimer: Still don't own neither Type-Moon nor Blazblue.

Something went wrong with the linebreaks so I had to reupload this.

* * *

Sitting in his hotel room with his hand on the Calico submachine gun that he had just reassembled on the table in front of him, Emiya Kiritsugu impatiently stared at the cross-shaped Command Seals on the back of his other hand.

Fifteen minutes ago, after he had found the letter, Archer had deployed her Noble Phantasm. That was the only explanation for the uncharacteristically large quantity of prana that he had had to provide. The activation had lasted for approximately one minute.

From this, he could deduce several things.

First, Archer had encountered an enemy Servant. While her Magic Resistance was not on the level of a Saber, he found the thought that a Master could have forced her to resort to her final trump card without some sort of large scale magecraft, which she would have known better than to approach, to be ridiculous. Considering Archer's personality, it was also likely that the enemy Servant had forced her into a fight.

This meant that there was at least one Servant who had chosen to disregard the rule of secrecy that was a tacit agreement among all participants of this war. Even Kiritsugu, widely regarded as a heretic, would not have done so without a way to deal with the situation.

Secondly, the amount of time that had elapsed between the activation and the deactivation offered two options; either Archer had swiftly dispatched the Servant following the activation of her trump card or she had been forced to retreat.

After some thought, Kiritsugu concluded that Archer had emerged victorious from the encounter. Otherwise, she would have kept her Noble Phantasm active to discourage pursuit.

With this conclusion, he had called Archer to rejoin him through the bond between Master and Servant. It was unfortunate that only simple directives could be transmitted in such a way, which meant that he had no idea why Archer took longer than necessary to return.

Finally, more than five minutes after the time he had estimated, Archer opened the door.

"What happened?"

While waiting for her to compose herself, he took in her appearance.

Gone was the cloak and beret that she had worn since her summoning, replaced by a small jacket that barely extended past her shoulders and exposing a white shirt that left her back the beret, her long hair freely flowed down her back.

Did the change of outfit mean anything, or was it simply a result of unleashing her Noble Phantasm?

"Oh! Hum…" Under his gaze, she straightened her back and looked to the side. "I'm sorry for being late. I've…taken care of Caster and his Master."

"I see." That fit in with his deductions. There was no reason to doubt her. "I thought I'd told you to report to me if you found another Servant?"

Archer breathed in and for the first time since her summoning, his Servant stared back into his eyes without wavering.

"They were killing children. I won't apologize for my actions."

With a sigh, Kiritsugu closed his eyes to erase the image of a small, silver-haired figure.

Archer's actions had been reckless. He couldn't use a Servant that wasn't guaranteed to obey his order. Excessive sensibility was a weakness that war would bring to the front and trample upon. There was no guarantee that no one had observed her battle against Caster. For all they knew, her Noble Phantasm was now something that the other Masters would be prepared against.

And yet he couldn't find it in himself to condemn her decision.

Truly, how weak had he become?

"I get it. Good job, Archer."

* * *

All considered, the day was going rather well.

Archer, who had expected Kiritsugu to take offense to her independent actions, had instead received praise.

Her Master was a good man, after all. There was no reason to hesitate.

With what she suspected was a silly smile on her face, she kept watch around the appartment. Kiritsugu had asked her to make sure that no one was present and had apparently come to believe that Assassin was alive.

Since she had felt the contact between the blast and it's target, Archer didn't see how that was possible – surely, Assassin couldn't be that resilient?

Still, she faithfully kept guard. Thanks to the fact that the Holy Grail had recognized her abilties as the Eye, she possessed the rare advantage of being able to spot even non-materialized Servants.

That wouldn't help if Assassin was on the other side of a wall, but she would definitely be able to see him if he entered the room.

"Iri, it's me."

When the phone call finally connected, those were the first words that her Master spoke. It wasn't that she meant to eavesdrop, really, but this wasn't such a big room.

"Caster has been eliminated."

Irisveil Von Einzbern. The things that Noel knew of this person could easily be written on her hand and leave ample space.

They had never met, but her Master had told her that she was someone whose survival was mandatory to acquire the Holy Grail; someone that she would have to protect at all cost if a fight ever occurred near the castle where she had first been summoned.

And…more than that, Irisveil was the only name that opened Emiya Kiritsugu's heart. This, she hadn't been told but had witnessed. For the brief moments during which he had briefed her and now that he was speaking to that woman, her Master was overcome with loss.

It was a kind of loss that she recognized, though she had never felt it herself. It was the one of someone who had lost something irreplaceable and was faced with a reminder of it. Like what that great hero had felt when he spoke with Tsubaki.

Now that she thought about it…there were quite a few things that her Master and sir Hakumen had in common. Although, considering their strong personalities, it was probably better if they never met.

But why would her Master feel so badly when talking with someone that was still alive?

For a brief moment, she considered asking Maya, who was standing guard by the window. However, the already cold woman now seemed completely closed off.

Better keep to herself, then.

"It won't be long now. Goodbye, Iri."

With his eyes closed, Emiya Kiritsugu shut down the phone. When they opened again, the black orbs shone with renewed intensity.

"Maya. Archer. There's been a change of plan. Someone's invited us to a meeting. This is what we'll do."

Snapping back to attention, Noel set aside her thoughts. No matter what, she would make sure that Kiritsugu wouldn't have to feel that loss again.

* * *

There were many who would expect the King of Conquerors to be displeased at his current situation.

His Master was perhaps the weakest of those involved in the war. The prana that he received would be insufficient to make up for his true trump card. As he could not count on the fall of other Masters, he would have to be ready to face all six Servants by himself.

In truth, there was little that could please him more. He had been slightly disappointed that his offer had been denied, but it wasn't surprising that his fellow heroes would also be strong-willed.

He would simply have to overcome that will.

So what if his Master was currently inexperienced? So what if he could not expect him to become strong over the few days of this war? It was the duty of the king to show the proper path. To overcome against all odds would simply make his victory all the more glorious!

Waver thought himself weak and that he was simply being dragged along. Nonsense! The weak could not follow the king, even if they were being carried. A true coward would have commanded Rider to leave him behind and fight alone. Compared to those who hid and only voiced support from the shadows, he judged his hesitant and struggling Master to be far superior.

The only downside was that he could not go out during the day to witness the customs of the people he would conquer. But even to that, he had found an answer! With the admiral's shirt that he had acquired and the trousers that his Master had promised, he would be able to pass unnoticed.

Well, not really unnoticed, but as close as he ever did.

All he needed was to present his Master with the proof of his strength by defeating an enemy. It was a shame that one of his competitors would have to fall so early, but it could not be helped. At best, he could hope that the King of Knights would not be the one that he would encounter. There was much that he had to discuss with a fellow king before they could have a true battle.

He would wait for the night and once the sun set, the world would once more know the might of Alexander.

* * *

When he received word from Assassin that the way was clear, Kotomine Kirei restrained himself from showing any expression.

For the first time in recent memory, perhaps in his entire life, he could feel his heart beating loudly in his chest. The world that he had grown used to now shone more brilliantly than it had a moment ago.

Emiya Kiritsugu had answered.

Not alone, of course. Assassin had spotted Archer on a nearby rooftop and had warned Kirei that they had also seen at least one woman that was likely to be an associate of Kiritsugu.

But that didn't matter to Kirei. The Magus Killer could take as many precautions as he wanted and prepare for all eventualities, it would not matter.

That confidence arose from the simple fact that Kirei had no intention of tricking his adversary, no ambush to spring and no hidden ambition.

As his letter had indicated, he was here to talk. Perhaps not for the reason that Kiritsugu would assume, but definitely to talk.

What had changed, all those years ago? What was it that had, all those years ago, convinced this ghost of the battlefield to settle and fight for the Einzbern?

For the sake of obtaining his answer, Kirei was ready to take great risks. That was why he had instructed Assassin to allow Kiritsugu to keep his weapons and to not interfere unless an outsiders attempted to interrupt their talk.

And if diplomacy failed and he had to face his counterpart in battle…then that, too, was acceptable. They would speak with their fists and he would obtain his answer through bloodshed.

In his mind, Kirei sent an apology to the teacher and the father that he was indirectly betraying by meeting with an enemy in secret. He would not lie and pretend that he felt guilty. In a way, it was inevitable that his path would deviate from that of Kotomine Risei and Tohsaka Tokiomi as they could not understand him.

To put an end to his aimless wanderings, there was nothing that Kotomine Kirei would not do.

When he emerged from the parking garage that he had been waiting in and laid eyes for the first time upon the black-coated figure that had been in his mind ever since the beginning of the war, a fire began to burn within Kirei's heart.

With no sign of emotion, black eyes followed his path to the table, tense but without excessive stress, one hand resting inside his coat to easily reach a weapon. This man, who rejected both conventional morality and the path of the magus, was the one that would provide him with the answer that he had endlessly prayed for.

God worked in mysterious ways.

Slowly, he came to sit in his assigned chair.

"Emiya Kiritsugu."

"Kotomine Kirei."

At the time of their meeting, fate had already spiralled out of control.


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Still don't own Type-Moon or Blazblue.

* * *

A small restaurant that stood at the center of the business district, that was the meeting place that had been requested by Kotomine Kirei.

When he had first received the letter, Kiritsugu had rejected it as a fool's bargain; an obvious trap to lure him out.

However, the more he thought about it, the more he confirmed that such a thing was illogical. To begin with, there was no need to "lure him out", as the message was delivered with the hotel's room delivery service and Kiritsugu doubted that his defenses would last long against any serious attack by an experienced magus.

The former executor could hardly be called a proper magus, but this simply made the point all the more true. As he already knew of Kiritsugu's position, it would be simple for him to arrange for his death, by mundane means or by having his Servant strike with the advantage of surprise.

Of course, Kiritsugu could always answer a Servant's attack by calling Archer with a Command Seal; but that in itself would be a victory for the enemy, as Command Seals were restricted to three. Beside, depending on the Servant's capabilities, it was quite possible that he would die before Archer's arrival.

And yet Kirei, who had held the overwhelming advantage of being aware of his position without Kiritsugu being aware of his knowledge, had forsaken it for the sake of calling him here. A pre-arranged meeting point was naturally an even field since both participants were equally able to set and prepare for traps.

Kiritsugu could not understand why Kirei would make such a decision. The only thing he could imagine was that Kirei had entered this war with some kind of advantage, most likely an alliance with Tohsaka Tokiomi, had since lost it and now intended to ask for Kiritsugu's cooperation.  
Of course, that theory itself was flawed from the start, as anyone with even the slightest capacity of examining Kiritsugu's past would be aware that he was not a trustworthy ally in a zero sum event like the Holy Grail War. Someone with Kotomine Kirei's abilities would definitely have been able to discern that.

Thus, he reached the infuriating conclusion that he simply could not guess the reason behind the invitation.

Of course, looking back on it, that feeling of being unable to comprehend that person's reasoning was also the reason why he had deemed Kotomine Kirei to be the most dangerous opponent that he would encounter in this war.

That was why Kiritsugu had ultimately decided to indulge the request. It was an extremely risky move that could bring about an equally large benefit. Any discussion between two Masters would undoubtedly involve an exchange of information. From that information, he would be able to recognize Kirei's true intentions. From that point on, there would be nothing to fear from him.

Of course, that did not mean that he had rejected the possibility of a trap. However, Maya had scouted the location in advance and reported nothing of worry. Additionally, both she and Archer were covering him from opposite rooftops – any attempt at offense from Kirei would at worst result in mutually assured destruction. Since the opponent was aware of this, the odds of an attack were minimal; nothing from Kirei's past actions indicated a desire for self-destruction.

Beside, Kiritsugu possessed an advantage in the form of Archer's ability to see Servants in spirit form. Even Assassin with his Presence Concealment would not be able to approach Kiritsugu in broad daylight without being spotted. And if events should lead to a contest of strength between the two Servants, the result was already decided.

Reaching the designated table, Kiritsugu only bothered with a short inspection. There was no need to be overly careful as the location had been under observation since he had received the letter. If there was a trap, it was one that he wouldn't be able to see with his eyes.

Less than a minute later, the man who had invited him entered his sight. The pictures that he had been provided before the War were indeed correct; Kotomine Kirei was exactly as portrayed. Tall, but not overly so, with brown eyes and brown hair and an unremarkable appearance overall. Kiritsugu, who understood the value of "anonimity", couldn't help but feel a small amount of approval. With the exception of the crucifix that hung around his neck, there was very well about the man that would stand out to identify him.

His most likely weapons were the Black Keys that could easily be hidden in his clothes. It was also probable that he was highly proficient in some form of unarmed combat. As his coat was not closed and flowed freely, larger weaponry could be ruled out. Magecraft was a possility, but Kirei had not been born into a family of Magus and had only learned under Tohsaka Tokiomi for a relatively short time; it was unlikely that it would constitute his first means of offense.

The last and most dangerous weapon in Kotomine Kirei's arsenal would be his Servant, but Archer's lack of warning meant that none were nearby.

The table between them would not act as any kind of meaningful deterrent if the Executor chose to attack. The distance between them during the conversation would be around a meter and a half. Kiritsugu doubted that he would win a battle in close-quarter against such a man and he had no weapon that could adequately counter the Black Keys in close range.

Therefore it would be preferrable to use his Crest to gain distance and open fire. No matter how well-trained, a human could not move faster than bullets and any wounds received would slow down Kirei's approach. It was not an optimal encounter, but his odds of victory were favorable.

Kirei reached his seat and calmly sat down, his eyes having never once left his opponent.

"Emiya Kiritsugu."

Coming from that man, his name was filled with tension and an emotion he could not identify.

"Kotomine Kirei."

After reciprocating the greeting, Kiritsugu took note of the first confirmation that this meeting wasn't simply an incomprehensible whim.

The eyes of his interlocutor burned with quiet intensity.

Kotomine Kirei was a man who led an empty life, wandering from one vocation to the next and dismissing the past without regret. However, those eyes were filled with intent. No matter what his intentions were, Kirei had come with expectations and fully intended to obtain what he desired.

"I am thankful that you accepted my offer." It was Kirei who first broke the silence, his voice barely rising above the ambient sound of the city. "I asked because there is something I want to know – of course, I shall provide equal information."

Not even a single attempt to ease the subject. Once more, Kiritsugu confirmed his opinion of the threat that this man paused.

"I have no intention of compromising my position in this war."

A simple statement of fact. If Kirei hoped to gain an advantage, then he would leave disappointed.

"I understand." To his credit, the Executor did not even blink at the blunt refusal to negociate. "What interests me is not your strategy for the war, it is Emiya Kiritsugu."

An unexpected response. What could the man find in him that was so important?

It could have been a stratagem to gather information in a subtle manner, but Kirei did not strike him as a man who made a habit of mincing words.

If not to win the war, then the questions would most definitely be linked to the reason behind Kirei's involvement, and desire for the Grail.

"Very well then." There was no point in keeping personal information hidden, there was no one that Kirei could hurt to gain an advantage and no past so painful that his course would waver. "Who is your Servant?"

"Servant Assassin, Hassan-I-Sabbah." Without a moment's hesitation, Kirei divulged this important information. Kiritsugu had already expected that answer since the Servant had bypassed the security he had set around the hotel, but it was better to be certain.

The name was useless in itself, as it could refer to any of the spirits that were possibilities for the class.

"Nine years ago, you ceased your wanderings and joined the Einzbern in preparation for today." The words were without emotion, as if the Executor had long memorized them. "What was it that they offered you?"

Could it be that while he hoped to learn Kotomine Kirei's position in the war, the man wished to understand him? How odd, the file hadn't indicated any kind of sentimentality.

"I was unable to reach my goal by myself. They offered me a wish upon the Holy Grail, a miracle to bring about what I could not." Without giving the man time to think on his answer, he continued. "What is your affiliation with Tohsaka Tokiomi?"

"I am to be his ally in this war and grant him the Holy Grail." Compared to Kiritsugu, who minimized his answer, Kirei appeared completely willing to share. "That was the plan, as decided since I obtained the Command Seals and became his apprentice. What is your wish?"

Kiritsugu straightened as a chill spread through him.

_"…as decided when I obtained the Command Seals and became his apprentice."_

It wasn't surprising that Kirei and Tohsaka were allies, at least momentarily, since that was to be expected from a master and his student. But this meant that Kirei had been acknowledged by the Grail **before** he met Tohsaka.

This outsider who had never dedicated himself to anything had been chosen as a Master before the Three Families of the Beginning. Three years before the war had begun.

Ridiculous. Did this mean that this man was the one who desired the Holy Grail the most?

"What is your wish?"

For the first time, Kirei's calm had begun to falter as he repeated the question, his eyes narrowing slightly in impatience.

The thought of lying came to Kiritsugu's mind. But that would serve no purpose; worse yet, a lie might be noticed and he hadn't learned everything that he could.

"I will eliminate evil, my wish is peace for the entire world."

Across the table, Kotomine Kirei froze.

The man's mask of emotionlessness had slipped, leaving behind a disbelief that Kiritsugu could not understand.


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer: Still own neither Type-Moon nor Blazblue.

Reviews are always welcome.

* * *

The loss of control lasted only an instant, but even as his eyes narrowed again, something had changed in Kotomine Kirei.

His front of an emotionless man that sought only information had been utterly broken by that answer.

Emiya Kiritsugu was a man who possessed such a wish? Far from the emptiness that Kirei had expected, he possessed a desire that even a fool would mock as childish?

Kirei's hands were shaking and it was all he could do refrain from laughing. Or perhaps this was anger at fate's cruel joke?

No.

With visible effort, Kirei swallowed his frustration and steadied his hands.

No, he would not accept this outcome. For three years, he had prepared for this war on the off chance that his possession of Command Seals held meaning. At the end of that preparation, he had been confronted with Emiya Kiritsugu's existence and had gained hope for the first time since that day.

And now, for Kiritsugu to be a man who possessed such a goal...

But then, perhaps that wasn't a complete loss.

From the beginning, those who thought they understood him had failed to present him with the answer.

Even the one who had attempted to reach out to him with the end of her life had not provided him with the answer.

From the beginning, his quest had been meaningless. Even if he was answered, his self would not change.

But…he could not accept failure at this point. Even if the answer was worthless, the journey itself possessed worth.

He would find his path here, this Holy Grail War would be the final step. Having once more felt the bittersweet taste of hope, he would not fall back into despair.

"Kotomine Kirei…what is it that has brought you to seek the Holy Grail?"

"Nothing. I do not possess such a wish, I only seek to understand myself. At the Church's command, I shall deliver the Holy Grail to Tohsaka Tokiomi."

To the question that had been intended to keep him unbalanced, a careless response. It wasn't a secret, there was nothing to gain by hiding his flaw. To begin with, those close to him were only blind to it because of their own expectations.

"You…" Searching his words, Kirei pushed forward. He had to reach the source of that desire, he had to understand. "What is it that has led you to desire such a thing?"

The answer took a few seconds to come. Understandable, he supposed, since this was probably the core of that man's life.

"I have seen that the world is filled with conflict." When the answer came, it was without emotion, a calm statement of fact. "So there is no price too high for me to pay, in order to save the world."

Foolishness.

To sacrifice what you loved? To throw away what made your life worthwhile?

To give up what he had sought all along?

What sort of man was this? What kind of life had he led? What had he seen to reach such a nonsensical conclusion?

Well, those were questions that didn't deserve to be asked.

There was nothing more to be said. He could not comprehend that man, he could not agree with his conclusion. The love that had been directed toward him at that time…if he could have reciprocated it, he would never have let it go.

A world without suffering, that was a worthless world. Someone like him could not exist in such a world, someone like her would never shine in such a world.

The dream that was a rejection of what he had sought all his life…he could not allow it to come to pass. Therefore, he would crush it.

He would not permit this foolish man to make light of what he had sought for the sake of a mere wish, no matter how meaningful it was.

With careful movements, Kirei rose to his feet. He had made too many concessions for this meeting; if he moved too swiftly it was possible that Emiya would take it as an attempt on his life and react accordingly. Neither would survive such an act.

"Kotomine Kirei." The cold voice interrupted him as he began to leave. "What are your intentions?"

"I came here to find a purpose." Without looking back, he spat his parting words. "I have received it."

If the inferno of countless battlefields had been insufficient to make Emiya Kiritsugu appreciate what he possessed, then he would bring ruin to that unfading dream. At the end of despair, that man would come to understand the value of what he had thrown away and understand his foolishness.

Lost in his dark thoughts, Kotomine Kirei lost track of what he had sought. The fading image of a dying saint was brought to light once more.

Without realizing it, he smiled.

* * *

Something had erred in the Heaven's Feel system, that was an unavoidable conclusion. He couldn't understand why no one else had seen it.

Well, perhaps he could forgive the foolish outsiders, but for Tohsaka and Einzbern…well, that was simply unforgiveable.

The cause of that error was most likely the disturbance that had happened at the end of the third. The Einzberns had been foolish to attempt to cheat the system set in place in such a blatant way.

As soon as he had noticed the discrepancy in this war's Caster, he had given up all hope of Kariya achieving victory. Well, not that he had ever had high hopes of that in the first place.

However, that still left him with having to figure out what he would do about it. He had already expanded far too much effort to simply give up on the Grail entirely but at the same time he lacked the capacity to correct the system.

The first logical step was to determine the extent of the damage. If it was simply a matter of the wrong spirit being summoned, then that wasn't too bad; he could still obtain his wish. But if the damage ran deeper…

Well, that wasn't even worth elaborating on. He would simply have to prepare for the worst.

He would simply need to wait until the vessel established it's link with the Greater Grail and then pay close attention to the situation.

More pressing was the matter of the second anomaly that he had witnessed earlier. His familiar that had simply been positioned to observe Caster had turned out to be a very important witness.  
It wouldn't do to approach that thing himself. If it's reaction to Caster was any indication, that would be a move of utmost foolishness.

Well, that was what young men with nothing to lose were for. It was time to add some action to this farce.

* * *

"So, boy, what do you think?"

The blunt question was met with an irritated answer.

"Why are you asking me when you're just going to do whatever you want?"

Sitting around a map of the city, the odd pair were planning their actions for the incoming night.

Well, it was more like Rider was planning and Waver was complaining, really.

"Don't be silly." Reaching out, the large man lightly flicked the boy's head, causing him to fall backward with a cry. "You're the Master here. You should know what their capacities are, right? And you asked me to defeat one of them, so speak up."

Frowning, Waver lifted himself back into a sitting position. It was the first time that Rider had seriously asked for his opinion. Was this a test?

"Hum…well, Saber has really high parameters. Plus, she's a really famous hero, so her Excalibur must be something really amazing. I'd say she's our biggest threat right now." He concentrated on the trio that he had seen last night. "Archer's parameters aren't much of a threat, but we have no idea who she is. Lancer's not bad, but since you already know what his Noble Phantasms are, he probably wouldn't be too much of a problem; I can't imagine that someone on foot could catch your chariot."

With a nod, he completed his reminiscing. "Berserker and Caster are still hiding and Assassin was taken out by Archer."

"Normally, I'd say we would want to fight Archer, since Lancer didn't do too badly against Saber." He sighed, shaking his head. "Although, you probably want to fight Saber, right?"

Iskandar raising a large hand to his beard, expressing his approval with a smile.

"Normally, I would say that. Taking out the biggest threat first is often the right move in a war." He shook the thought away. "But Saber's a king as well as a Servant. It wasn't possible yesterday, but I would like to talk with her before we settle this in a battle."

Blinking in surprise the boy looked up at Rider.

"So…which one are you going after?"

"Ha!"

Proclaiming his amusement, the man rose to his full height. The rpide that came from his being clashed terribly with the ordinary t-shirt that he wore.

"Well, I already said it yesterday, right? Tonight, we're tracking down those who turned down my challenge. I might be satisfied if I lose against Saber or Lancer, but I won't let cowards get in the way of my conquest!"


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

Archer materialized behind Kiritsugu as he began the walk back to their temporary appartment.

Really, this was probably the best point of this body. Even if it wasn't equal to her original, the ability to freely change between the physical and immaterial was entertaining.

The biggest downside was the fact that a contract was required to maintain it. She had thought that the Azure might provide the necessary power, but it seemed that a source of prana was required in order to maintain the link between the construct and her.

Well, someone like her creators could probably find a way around it, but she couldn't.

"What is it?"

Of course, Kiritsugu had noticed her apparition. His voice, tight with tension, brought her back to the present.

"Hum…is something wrong? Since we left the meeting place, you haven't been yourself."

A bit of an exaggeration, but it was true that her Master seemed more worried than usual. Even after receiving the letter, he had been as controlled as always. Now, she couldn't help but notice that he sometimes glanced at shadows.

It would be too much to say that he was panicking, but this was as close to losing control as she had ever seen him.

"…" The man stopped and took a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders. "I believe that it may have been a mistake to come. I have confirmed that Kotomine Kirei is an enemy that must be defeated and what little he said held value, however…the price was high."

"Master?"

Certainly, she had been watching the meeting, but she had been too far to hear what the were saying. From what she could see, it seemed that her Master had been the one firmly in control, but now he said he had paid a heavy price?

Well, now that she thought about it, there had been something odd about the man he was talking to. It seemed as if he was wavering between two emotions, especially when he had left.

"I have confirmed that Assassin is still alive." It seemed Kiritsugu had regained his usual calm, as he began to walk again. "Additionally, it is likely that Kotomine Kirei will be targetting me from this point on. As such, our actions will be restricted – we will have to act as a conventional team of Master and Servant until Assassin is dealt with."

Well, that didn't sound so bad to her. Her Master wasn't the most sociable person, but he wasn't painful to be with. Beside, she had worked with people who instinctively wanted to kill her on sight in the past. In comparison, Emiya Kiritsugu's cold professionalism was an offering of friendship.

"Tonight, we'll focus on observing." Unaware of her thoughts, her Master concluded. "Assassin isn't a big enough threat to focus everything on him and Kotomine Kirei is a hard man to track, so we'll have to wait for a development on that front."

"Alright."

Just as she was about to return to spirit form, Kiritsugu's voice interrupted her.

"Wait, Archer."

"Yes?"

For perhaps the first time, there was a touch of awkwardness in her Master's voice.

"I told you of my wish before the battle began. At that time, I didn't ask what you wanted from the Grail."

"Oh."

A subject she had been worried about. It wasn't that she was ashamed of her wish…well, maybe a little.

Simply, how could she answer that question without doubts when talking to someone who wished to save the entire world?

"It's nothing great; I want to go back home."

Kiritsugu continued walking as he thought it over.

"I see. The place you call home still exists, then?"

Of course. Her Master didn't know, so it made sense for him to ask that question.

"Yes." In contrast to her hesitation at sharing her wish, she spoke with confidence. "If it didn't, it would be impossible for me to be here."

Kiritsugu's even steps stopped as he turned to face her.

"I had begun to suspect it, but…Archer, you are not a hero of this world, are you? To begin with, I haven't been able to find a reference to a legend that shares a similarity with yours."

Of course not. If he had asked, she would have told him from the start. Really, people who hated admitting they didn't know everything and acteed like it was something big when they figured it out were a bit irritating.

"No. Well, I don't know where it is compared to 'here', because we were chasing him, but…" She paused. Thinking about it, she'd never really thought she would have to explain it. "Anyway, I only arrived 'here' near the end and I...died, after the battle. I accepted the Holy Grail's offer to act as a Servant in exchange for a way home."

"I see." He looked at her with that same blank expression he had most of the times. Really, would showing emotions take that much out of him? "Then your determination is enough. Let's go, we have to prepare for tonight."

With a sigh, she lost her materialized form.

Still, at least he had bothered to ask. Hopefully, it had distracted him from his worries.

* * *

As she watched the sun descend, the young woman smiled.

Finally, she could go out again. Sometimes, Tokiomi's precautions seemed a bit too strict. Certainly, she approved of his decision that she avoid fighting during the day, but the other Servants would also agree to this; therefore, there was surely no reason for her to remain hidden in this house?

A part of her felt shame at being so impatient that a single day left her so irritated, but she excused it because of her company.

Really, what bad luck to have been paired with Assassin. If it had been almost any of the other classes, she would have gladly accepted an alliance. But to be allied with someone who targeted only a Master, while ignoring the heroes that served them…she could not agree to it.

Not that she considered enemy Masters to be untouchable; they remained enemies that had to be defeated. However, to deny their Servants the chance to protect them was an insult to the path of honor that she followed.

Still, she would at least grant Assassin that he had the good sense to understand that their methods were irreconcilable. If it wasn't for the fact that he was a rival for the Holy Grail, she would have called the manner in which he had accepted his role as a messenger to be an admirable show of humility.

But he remained a competitor and his act was a farce. Even if she took Kotomine Kirei's loyalty to her Master as genuine – and Tokiomi certainly thought it was -, that still left the fact that Assassin would undoubtedly make an attempt at slaying her Master to ensure his victory in the war.

Shaking her head, she dispelled the dark thoughts from her mind. Assassin's tricks could wait, tonight she would enjoy glorious battles. Tokiomi had agreed to let her finish things with Diarmuid and she intended to seize that opportunity before some new factor turned the war on it's head.

That joyful thought was broken at once as the space around her began to distort.

"Saber, I command you, come to me!"

This was the effect of a command seal? Had someone attacked Tokiomi inside his own stronghold?

Without wasting a moment, she brought forth her silver armor; it might be necessary for her to intercept an attack immediately.

As focus returned to her vision, she corrected herself; it appeared that things were not quite that dire.

However, the scenery that surrounded her was barely recognizable as the entrance to her Master's mansion. The front door had been completely demolished and the garden was in ruin.

The enemy had apparently decided to bypass the mansion's defenses entirely by throwing a van through the front gate.

"Saber."

Looking behind her, she confirmed that Tokiomi wasn't wounded. Though he wasn't unshaken, she commended her Master for reigning in his temper and staying focused.

In fact, if it wasn't for the outrage that burned in his blue eyes at such a shameless display of power, she would have thought that Tokiomi was only mildly annoyed.

"The enemy Servant appear to possess the ability to bestow the characteristics of a Noble Phantasm to the objects that he grasps."

So it was a Servant after all and even though his defenses had been surpassed, it seemed her Master had gained some information on the enemy.

Well, that should have gone without saying. Tohsaka Tokiomi's prudence wasn't simply a matter of cowardice.

"Thank you." Stepping forward, she prepared herself to leave the house. "Master, you should escape. I will deal with him, but the enemy might possess a long-range Noble Phantasm."

Or more vehicles, but she decided not to mention that possibility.

"Then I shall take my leave. If possible, limit the damage to the surroundings as much as possible."

Without any further pleasantries, she felt her Master's presence retreat further into the house.

And from the outside, a roar told her that the enemy had decided that he had waited long enough.

With a blackened lamppost held in his right arm, the one who could only be Servant Berserker made his way through the front gate of the Tohsaka Mansion. He slowly advanced, the bloodlust emanating from his black armor daring anyone to step in his path.

Grasping her invisible sword with both hands, Saber accepted the challenge.


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

The battle that raged in the garden of the Tohsaka mansion was an absurdity.

Within the context of the Holy Grail War, it was simple logic that the Saber class be confronted at a distance. The other classes that fell under the moniker of "Knight" were specialized in distance attacks or mobility specifically for that reason.

The class of Berserker, which was filled with heroes who traded sanity for pure power, was the exception. In the case of a weak hero, they would easily be cut down by a superior swordsman. In the case of a powerful hero, they would violently clash with the skilled Sabers in a battle between skill and raw might. That was the logic behind the existence of a Berserker.

In the case of King Arthur, one of the strongest members – if not _the_ strongest - of the Saber class, it should be impossible for a wild warrior to be a match. When supported by a powerful Master like Tohsaka Tokioim, her parameters are nearly on the level of a maddened Berserker without her skills suffering in the least.

However, the unknown hero clad in black that Saber is struggling against is a heresy that defies this common knowledge.

Certainly, she is his equal in strength. He might be faster, but she is not lacking.

More than his physical abilities, it is his talent that foils her. Overwhelmed with bloodlust and screaming with every movements, the strikes that fall upon her are still not those of a mad beast.  
Rather, it is the skill of the greatest warrior that holds her back as she is forced to deflect his flurry of blows. She will die if she does not defend herself. She cannot advance if she defends herself.

The ordinary lamp post that should have shattered against her blade has become the equivalent of a Noble Phantasm in his hand.

"When faced with a superior reach, close the gap in order to turn the weapon's length against your opponent."

Under that logic, she had begun the battle by approaching Berserker. While he had not reacted defensively, he had not met her head-on as she had expected.

Rather, he had maintained his distance with incredible agility, punishing any attempts to approach him with his superior reach.

It was only thanks to the use of a statue as a projectile that she had been able to fabricate a moment during which she could approach him.

Even then, at the moment where the reach would have turned against him, he had begun to rain blows upon her.

Now, she was trapped a single step outside of her sword's range. All she could do was weather the storm and wait for an opening that might not come.

How had he known the perfect distance that would disable her ability to strike and her ability to retreat?

Gritting her teeth, she intercepts the heavy metal pole that would have smashed her head.  
Ducking under it, she manages to take half a step before being forced to halt the light before it can strike her leg.

Good! She has begun to grasp the opponent's rhythm. Even if his skill is of the highest class, there are only so many angles of attacks that can be used effectively with such an improvised weapon.

"AR…R!"

With a roar, the armored knight leaps back with an ease that belies his armor.

No!

Pushing forward with all her might, she gives chase.

The opponent is someone whose weapon consists of anything he holds. She has been able to hold him until now because of the restrictive nature of a pole of that length. If he obtained a sword…

She quickly gains ground as his retreat is limited by the fact that he does not turn his back to her.

Realizing that escape is impossible, unseen eyes narrow as Berserker regains his footing.

With a cry of victory, Saber dashes forward. It is already too late. Even if he lifts the pole to strike at her again, her sword will definitely find his neck, no matter how much damage she has to take in the process.

Realizing this, Berserker lets go of his weapon. However, he does not retreat.

Defying her expectations, the black knight lunges forward, an armored palm pushing the invisible blade out of it's path with perfect accuracy.

**"What?!"**

At the same moment, the second fist strikes her chest, sending her sliding backward.

Thanks to her armor, she did not receive any real damage. However, she can no longer deny the impossibility of her opponent.

It wasn't beyond comprehension that there were warriors so great that they could find even under the thrall of madness.  
However, her sword could not be perceived by eyes and the bloodlust that radiated from the enemy meant that he could not have analyzed her weapon during their battle…no, even if he could, he wouldn't have been able to know the exact angle of the blade.

"You-who are…"

"AR…..RR!"

A cry that chilled her blood interrupted her questioning.

Under the night's sky, the shadow of a knight gripped it's head as it trashed and cried it's hatred.

It should be an opening, but her instinct commands her to stand her ground and not to approach him carelessly.  
To engage Berserker in this situation would be to suffer a fate worse than death.

That conclusion is illogical; certainly he cannot be any more dangerous now than he was a second before.  
However, her feet refuse to move and she feels herself transfixed by the eyes that are hidden behind the black fog that surrounds the maddened Servant.

With a feral growl, Berserker takes a step toward her, firm in his determination to continue the battle.

But in the end, he vanishes all the same, restoring silence to the night.

"…Did his Master force him to retreat?"

That wasn't unthinkable. As formidable as he had been, there was only so much that Berserker could do once she had seen through his weapon's possible approach.

…Of course, that was assuming that his mysterious ability was his only Noble Phantasm.

* * *

As the scream of metal fades behind him, Tohsaka Tokiomi calmly exits through his mansion's back door.

Such a frontal assault had been…unexpected. Although, now that he thought about it, that was a careless assumption on his part.

After all, what could force a Magus out of his workshop better than a direct attack by a Servant?  
Perhaps he would be wise to do the same in future engagements.

As he exited the remnants of his mansion's now mostly ruined Bounded Fields, he detected a more recent one. Much more crude as well, clearly only meant to stand temporarily to ensure the war's secrecy.  
Well, it seemed as if Berserker's Master wasn't a _complete_ barbarian after all.

More importantly, _where was Assassin?!_ With Saber away, it was his duty to ensure that this kind of thing didn't happen without Tokiomi being warned in advance.

Unless…could something have happened to Kirei?

For a moment, Tokiomi felt worry for his apprentice and ally. Though they had only been introduced for the sake of the Holy Grail War, he had come to appreciate the man as a friend as much as an accomplice. Though the man did not possess the hereditary talent that Rin did, his single-minded pursuit of his goal had allowed him to quickly learn what knowledge Tokiomi had imparted to him.  
As a teacher, he couldn't possibly have hoped for a better student than Kotomine Kirei and as a Magus, he would have been hard-pressed to find a better assistant.

Taking a moment to settle himself, Tokiomi hardened his heart. With luck, Kirei had only been put in a difficult situation. And if the worst had happened…  
Well, as his teacher, it would be Tokiomi's duty to ensure that the offender knew just whose student they had dared to harm.

A foreign presence registered to his senses an instant before a calm, controlled voice resonated through the night.

"Face me, head of the Tohsaka house."

Gripping his cane, he spun to view the man that was undoubtedly to be his opponent.

Tall, with blond hair and aristocratic features. The man exuded an aura of superiority that was sorely lacking in the modern era.

Yes, of the Masters involved in this war, only one could fit this.

"Lord El-Melloi." He acknowledged the other man with a slight tip of his head. "I must assume that you are the one responsible for this then?"

"Hmph!" With utter disdain, the noble Magus shook his head. "Of course not. Such an unsightly display…it is offending that you would even suspect me. However, this was a rare chance to meet you outside of your defenses; it would be an insult to your talent to turn it down."

Then there was another Master nearby. And Lancer, most likely. How troublesome.

At the same time, this was also the perfect occasion to avoid having to face this prodigy's own fortress. And while Tokiomi could hardly claim to be at his best, it was unlikely that El-Melloi was perfectly prepared himself. If nothing else, the hastily formed bounded field attested to that.

And if it came to the worst, there was always his trump card.

"Very well, then. I shall accept your challenge as head of the house of Tohsaka."

With the grace and elegance that befitted the host of an honorable duel, Tokiomi lifted his Mystic Code.

From this point on, the two of them would battle to the best of their abilities, as inherited by their ancestors, to obtain new knowledge that could be passed down to their descendants. Pushing themselves to the limit, they would slaughter each others on this battlefield in the name of that unending quest that all Magus shared.

This was a path that they walked without regret.


	12. Chapter 12

I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

Kayneth frowned in thought as a tongue of flame came within a step of reaching him before being intercepted.

"_Fervor, mei sanguis…" _

Three more limbs of flame flowed toward him from his opponent's position, but they were not a threat when compared to Volumen Hydragyrum's automated defense. The animated mercury was easily able to smother flames of that size and the heat would not even come close to him.

No doubt, this was merely Tohsaka's way of testing his defense.

"_Dilectus Incursio…Scalp!" _

At his command, the mercury extended into a whip and struck at Tohsaka, only to be intercepted by a wall of simmering heat upon which it crashed before falling as droplets on the ground.

The supervisor of Fuyuki city did not even flinch and Kayneth could not help but admire his opponent's steely composure in the face of incoming death.

So that was the nature of Tohsaka Tokiomi's defensive field; anything that attempted to cross it's boundary would be met with incredible heat and be burnt to a crisp. In the case of Volumen Hydragyrum's mercury composition, the rapid increase of temperature would make it approach it's boiling point and destabilize the flow of prana, disrupting it's form before it became a threat.

The element of fire, renowned for it's offensive capabilities, became an absolute defense.

To display such an iron-tight control over an unruly element was proof of Tohsaka Tokiomi's qualifications as a Magus. As the challenger, it now fell upon Kayneth to overcome it.

Of course, the Archibald's family magecraft wasn't so weak as to wear away simply because the mercury was destabilized; it would quickly retake it's form once exposed to cooler temperatures.

As for finding a way past that defense…well, that wasn't difficult. The flaw within Tohsaka's system was that the medium that carried the heat was air, which needed to renew itself frequently. Additionally, the heat was not a constant stream; in order to preserve prana, it was concentrated on specific points and then spread through convection to form the barrier. For Lord El-Melloi, who held the elements of water and air, it was easy to read the pattern that it followed.

If an ordinary human had been observing the exchange, they would most likely have been disappointed by the lack of variety in the two magi's attacks. However, that was simply because this was no place for a showy demonstration of versatility.

In this battle, both combatants held many times the power necessary to obliterate the opposition. All that was required was to find a way to bypass the opponent's defenses and he would fall. Their bodies were only human, after all.

Thus, using a form of magecraft that they were not completely familiar with would be suicide.

For that reason, Kayneth turned all his attention to his mystic code and began to chant.

Even though it was undoubtedly a masterpiece, Volumen Hydragyrum's automated abilities were limited; it did not possess true intelligence and could only follow a set of pre-established commands. For the kind of precise work that was required here, Kayneth had to assume direct control over it's movements.

As four more blows fell upon Tokiomi's defenses, two thinner strands of mercury began to weave it's way into the field. Moving around the dangerous areas with unerring precision thanks to Kayneth's formidable analytical ability, they began their journey toward the target:

Tohsaka Tokiomi's heart.

The man's eyes widened slightly as he noticed the advancing appendages. He had clearly expected the barrier to be sufficient against it but with Kayneth directly reinforcing his mystic code, the lessened heat that reached the mercury was insufficient to disrupt it's form.

There was no time for Tokiomi to correct his defensive field. As such, his next action should be to…

"_Intensive Einäscherung…"_

…Attempt to overwhelm Volumen Hydragyrum and force Kayneth to focus on defending himself.

Complementing his chant with a majestic wave, Tokiomi sent forth a torrent of fire toward Kayneth. In term of power, the two-line spell far surpassed the small bursts that he had used to test Kayneth's defenses earlier.

While maintaining his offense, Kayneth began a third process.

Power was meaningless if it did not reach him. As he had already understood the process behind the defensive application of Tokiomi's field, it was easy to determine the best defense against it's offense. The parts of Volumen Hydragyrum that were not used for attack focused between Kayneth and the flames; it's thickness carefully positioned to limit the heat's efficiency, it fell upon the roaring fire like a wave.

Within seconds, Tokiomi's assault was extinguished and with it, his life.

"_Scalp!" _

Having passed through the field, the mercurial appendages solidified and flew toward their target.

And then Kayneth noticed it coming toward him. A single streak of light.

Determining with precision the timing between his spell's neutralization and the mystic code's stabilisation, Tokiomi had sent a second assault flying in the flame's wake. Briefly losing it's consistency from the incredible heat that it had endured, Volumen Hydragyrum lacked the mass to halt the spell's deadly trajectory.

In the end, splitting his focus between three actions had been a mistake.

Desperately launching himself backward, Kayneth sought the best countermeasure…

* * *

Tokiomi dismissed the sharp pain coming from his leg. In this situation, he has no choice but to endure it until it heals.

Fortunately, the second spear had no time to complete its assault before El-Melloi's retreat. If his right arm had been incapacitated, he would have lost his mystic code.

As for Lord El-Melloi himself…

A faint fog faded away in front of the nobleman, but that was the only testament to Tokiomi's assault.

Regaining his previous composure, the proud magus held up a small sphere that he had produced from his coat. Unlike Tokiomi, he did not suffer a wound from their clash.

How regrettable, was that the difference between their abilities? Tokiomi had known that he would be at a disadvantage, but to have it rubbed in his face like this was unpleasant.

"I must congratulate you, Tohsaka. If I had come unprepared, you may have defeated me." A violent smile illuminated his noble features. "However, the inheritance of the Archibald family is not so small."

There is no trace of shame as he admits this. Of course not. After all, a magus is someone who possesses power, and that power is not limited to natural talent alone. Relics passed down the family line are simply another form that it can take. Tokiomi himself understands this quite well, which is why he has taken precautions to ensure that his daughter would become greater than he is.

Straightening his own posture, Tokiomi smiles leisurely through the pain. He fully intends to achieve victory; but even if he does not, there is no reason to fear. That is because the one who will inherit his desire is a prodigy that surpasses even Lord El-Melloi.

"I would expect nothing less from one who is hailed as a genius." He tilted his head in respect. "If you wish to retreat from this war, then I shall allow it. You are one whose talents would be wasted in death."

As if he had bitten something particularly unpleasant, El-Melloi's visage turned into a rictus.

"Bah. I was about to demand your surrender, but I see that your quality as a magus far surpasses your ability to assess the situation."

As his opponent's eyes narrowed, Tokiomi congratulated himself.

He had never expected El-Melloi to back down. In a contest for something like the Holy Grail, there was very little that would convince a magus of that quality to stand down.

Raising his mystic code, he once more began his chant while stepping forward.

In an ever expanding stream, roaring flames fell upon the silver coat that rose to shield his opponent.

As expected, the mercury had recovered from his previous assault.

Refusing to be discouraged, he intensified his assault, pushing the magus of the Clock Tower on the defensive with a vulgar display of power.

The drain on his magic circuits intensified equally and he gritted his teeth. Between Saber's battle against Berserker and this struggle, his resources were spread quite thin.

El-Melloi's defense showed no sign of weakening. There was very little chance that Tokiomi would win a battle of attrition. Since he couldn't retreat, there were very few options left for him.

He felt Kayneth gather prana before the incantation was spoken.

"_Ventus disgregartio!" _

With a shout of anger, the prodigy of the clock tower dispersed the pyreflies that Tokiomi had launched with a powerful gust of wind.

Of course, a man of his stature would be offended by such a bland assault. However, the time bought was sufficient for Tokiomi to be able to move his left arm again.

"Do you mock me, Tohsaka?!" Controlled rage now tainted El-Melloi's voice. "To think I thought you a worthy opponent…Fervor mei sanguis.."

For someone like Tokiomi, it was easy to tell what Kayneth thought. The opponent, who should have a been a skilled magus, was looking down on him with attacks meant for a child.

Absurd, of course. Tokiomi had the utmost respect for El-Melloi's abilities.

The mercurial mystic code of Lord El-Melloi began to loses the shape of a shield that it had taken and gained fangs. A brutal, direct attack meant to kill regardless of Tokiomi's defenses.

Goodness, to think that such a great magus would act like a spoiled child at the slightest provocation…

Facing the approaching tornado, Tokiomi concentrated his barrier to cover his head and his heart. The risks of his strategy and the heat from his gathered prana makes him feel as if he's about to vomit, but he holds on.

It does not matter if he loses an arm, or even each of his limbs, so long as he keeps his life. Since he has recognized the opponent as a superior magus, he is forced to make such concessions in the name of victory.

Clenching his teeth, he endured the agonizing pain of the blades piercing through his legs, bones being sliced and muscles tearing apart as if they were made of paper.

Just a little further…

His sight begins to fill with black dots as his brain is overloaded.

Pushing his left hand into the thing that is tearing his body apart, he cries out one final command, incapable of hearing his own voice through the pain.

_"Loslassen!"_

Thunder roars through the night as he unleashes the magic contained in the jewel and loses consciousness.


	13. Chapter 13

In case anyone missed it, I highly recommend that you also read _Tales From the Azure_, which will be where I post short stories that tie into this but don't take place during the fourth Holy Grail War. It can be found on my profile.

Disclaimer: I own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

Orange eyes surveyed the rooftops one last time.

As expected, more contestants were approaching.

He would have preferred to avoid the unnecessary risk caused by being separated from his lord, but El-Melloi had insisted that he would deal with the enemy Master himself.  
He wasn't a Magus himself and thus his lord's decisions occasionally made little sense to him, but the desire to challenge a worthy opponent was something that Diarmuid understood well. So he had no objections to standing guard a fair distance from the duel to ensure that it stayed private.

Berserker and Saber were fighting in the opposite direction and there was no sign of Rider's Gordius Wheel in the sky. Since Assassin was dead, the approaching Servant was either Caster or Archer.

The small blue-clad figure that stepped out of the staircase confirmed his deduction. Far more surprising was the taller man that followed.

Without flinching, the man met Diarmuid's gaze the moment their eyes made contact, Diarmuid applauded his lord's prudence in dispatching him to stand guard. This wasn't a man that would stand back and allow a duel to run it's course.

His presence was surprising because he hadn't been present on the first night. Someone that cautious wouldn't have appeared before Lancer, unless…

Unless he had been there, unseen.

The briefcase that the man held all but confirmed Diarmuid's suspicions. This was the man that had ambushed Lord El-Melloi while the Servants were distracted. If he was here, then it meant that he intended to do the same tonight. Obviously, that wouldn't be happening.

"Welcome, Archer." To his fellow warrior, he showed no enmity. One did not choose their Master, so there was no point in begrudging the girl. "I have to say that I'm impressed, I would have expected you to try to evade me."

The girl smiled. It was quite a pretty sight, and it was good that his opponent could be happy when they were about to clash.

"This is the best place to watch the battle." Her voice was cautious and she seemed to be taking time to think of her words. "And even if we tried to go around you, you would have pursued us, right?"

"Of course. You will not be allowed to harm my lord again, interloper."

The last sentence was directed toward the silent man, who didn't acknowledge him at all and turned toward the girl.

"There's no time to waste. Archer, use your Noble Phantasm and remove the obstacle."

He raised an eyebrow at that. Removing him by force? As if it would be that easy!

"Understood."

Returning his focus to the Servant, he barely took note that the man had moved back to stand next to the staircase entrance.

Archer's feet slowly lifted off the ground as the air behind her shifted.

No, this was different from materializing a Noble Phantasm. There was no accumulation of prana, no delay as it shifted into physical form.

The sword, if you could call such an absurd thing a sword, was simply there the next moment. It was at least two meters long with a blade that was even wider than it's length would suggest and it easily stood out in the moonlight thanks to it's golden and blue colors.  
Could this girl really fight with a weapon that dwarfed her? It seemed far more suited for a Berserker than an Archer – if it was suited for anyone at all.

"Switching modes."

Something was different about the girl's voice. She was calmer? That wasn't quite right. She expressed less emotion and was practically monotonous.

For a few seconds, a bright light evelopped her and the sword, before fading to reveal one of the strangest sight he'd ever seen.  
It was undoubtedly the same girl, but her hair appeared to have somehow fused together, flowing like a cape behind her and her clothes had been replaced by…he wasn't sure what to call it. Her arms, legs and shoulders were covered in protective armor, but her torso was practically bare. Seven blades floated behind her, evenly spread out save for the one on the left which was strangely further away.

The intensity that surrounded her convinced him to swallow his comment. It was different from bloodlust; the Archer that had never possessed the presence of a Heroic Spirit now exuded an incomparable pressure.

_Death._

More than bloodlust, the feeling that poured out of the armor was one that ended lives. Not to protect, not to intimidate, simply to slaughter anyone that would stand before it.

Diarmuid Ua Duibhne smiled and twirled his spears.

"So…this is your Noble Phantasm? Well, let's go."

So what if this was a weapon of death? There was no need to fear it, because he held this position to protect and serve his lord. If Death tried to cross this point, then it would be pushed back.

"Decimate."

At the emotionless command, four shining orb appeared around Archer, their appearances reminiscent of the tip of a sword.

Immediately, Diarmuid dashed forward, crossing a third of the distance between them before being forced to stop in order to intercept four rays of light. This was the power that had dispatched Assassin, times four.

Sweeping his longer spear, Diarmuid smiled as each of them vanished as soon as they were struck without even an impact. His lord's deduction had been correct; the nature of Archer's attack was similar to magecraft. Against _Gáe Dearg - the Crimson Rose of Exorcism_, they may as well not exist.

Seeing this, Archer's eyes narrowed as she lifted her right hand to point at him.

"There."

The four orbs blinked out of existence, reappearing in a square around him.

Lancer cursed under his breath as he dashed forward again, only to be forced to roll to the side to avoid an attack from behind. It was with effort that he managed to regain his footing and swing Gáe Dearg around himself, dispatching the lasers as they came in sequence.

Three of them had gathered in front of him, firing in succession from different angles to keep him on the defensives. The fourth was probably behind him, ready to fire if he lost his balance. That wouldn't happen.

A defensive stalemate was good for him, he decided.

After all, even as Lancer swatted aside two more beams of light, Lord El-Melloi continued his own battle.

In the corner of his eyes he noticed a movement behind Archer. The seven blades that had remained still spread like a halo, pointed toward him and _stabbed_.  
His eyes widened as the tip of the blades appeared in a wave around him. A light on the ground informed him that the blade behind him was preparing to fire.

Could he avoid it?

Throwing himself in the space between the leftmost blades, he cursed as his right leg was slashed in the process.

Pain blunted his reaction for a moment and he was thrown to the ground by an impact on his back, but the damage was nothing compared to the bleeding wound.

Only his peerless reaction had prevented him from suffering several fatal strikes.

The blades hadn't travelled or been propulsed toward him, they were still spread around Archer. This was something much worse.

He had assumed that the four units were Archer's primary weapons, but now that he considered it they would be ill-suited to facing anyone who possessed a resistance to magic – the one that had hit him was at worst annoying.  
If those blades could travel instantly, then it would be incredibly difficult to defend against them.

"…My aim was off." The armoured girl whined, appearing dejected. "I thought you'd focus more on the Steins."

One of the seven blades twitched and he rolled to the side half a second before it emerged next to him, the air where it had been and where it had appeared shining slightly.

Teleportation? No, if that was the case there would be no indication that they were coming.

Parrying the two blades that aimed for his heart and neck with Gae Buidhe, he took out one of the four units that had come too close with Gáe Dearg.

It seemed the blades only followed a straight line.

"You've lost the advantage of surprise, Archer." He smiled tauntingly. "Those blades only go where they're pointing."

Keeping his weight on his good leg, he whirled around the next attack, intercepting two more rays of light.

"As long as I keep an eye on you to know where they're going, they won't hit me."

It would be different if that kind of power was possessed by an experienced and skilled warrior, but Archer appeared to rely mostly on the number of assaults she could launch at once to break through her opponent's guard. Against his twin spears that could reach anywhere around his body and his awareness of the battlefield, that was insufficient.

Grinning, he awaited an opportunity to close the distance.

* * *

Servant Lancer was the eye of the storm, deflecting, avoiding and parrying in spite of Archer's incredible attack rate. The twin spears were little more than black blurs as they pushed aside anything that would approach him. It should have been impossible to avoid four simultaneous attacks, but he made it look easy.

Kiritsugu was forced to re-evaluate him. Judging from the battle with Saber, he had concluded that Lancer was the weakest of the battle oriented Servants, but it seemed foolish to call this "weak". Perhaps it was simply that Saber possessed a skill that put him at a disadvantage.

In theory, Lancer was at a great disadvantage because of his continually active Noble Phantasms that betrayed his identity. Without the risk of a surprise trump card, Masters were free to plan how best to attack him. It would not be strange if he was targeted even over Rider and Saber, who had revealed their true name and were doubtlessly powerful heroes.

Yes, the "threat" of a mysterious Noble Phantasm was one of the reasons why the Holy Grail War could last for longer than a few nights. The desire to maintain that threat was probably the reason why Saber had not revealed her Noble Phantasm during their battle.

As such, the unknown was Kiritsugu's enemy. To end the battle as soon as possible, he needed the other Masters to act without hesitation. If a Magus simply hid in his workshop, it would take him time to find them and then he would most likely need to use extreme methods to disable their defenses.

By revealing himself and brazenly attacking Tohsaka's mansion, Berserker had unwittingly given him the answer. He would reveal as much as possible to the enemy Masters so that Archer would become enough of a known quantity that they would not fear her intervention. With Lancer, Saber and Rider's identity revealed, Caster and Assassin's death and Berserker's appearance tonight, all the Servants will have come to light. From that point on, the war will increase in intensity and come to a quick conclusion.

And if Archer succeeded in defeating Lancer, well that was just another bonus. The possibility of Archer's defeat was practically non-existant on a rooftop like this where Lancer couldn't take any form of cover. If he had closed the distance before she attacked, perhaps he could have defeated her. But as it was, he would never close the gap unless Archer slowed her pace. It had become a battle of attrition between Lancer's physical abilities and Archer's reserves of energy.

Well, Kiritsugu had his own task to ensure that the situation ended in their benefit.

Dropping his cigarette on the ground, he walked toward the other side of the roof, pointedly ignoring the heated battle happening nearby.

"Stay there!"

The angry admonition from Lancer made him neither flinch nor stop. A second later, he could hear the enemy begin to advance toward him despite Archer's barrage of attacks.

Amazing. Had the man found a pattern despite being in such a harsh situation? Servants truly weren't to be underestimated. Of course-

_"Blessed Mirror!"_

…that went both ways.

The petals that Archer had deployed began to swirl and glow brighter, the single rays that they were firing turing into a veritable storm that flew toward the now distracted Lancer.

Kiritsugu couldn't turn to witness the result without wasting time, but the growl of pain told him enough to know that Lancer wouldn't be able to approach him soon.

Positioning himself and opening his briefcase, he looked through his scope.

* * *

Kayneth swore as he retreated from the roaring inferno that was consuming his Mystic Code.

Had Tokiomi decided to commit suicide to deprive Kayneth of his greatest weapon? He hadn't gotten the impression that the man was willing to throw his life away, but if he had an trusted ally in the War, perhaps…

Tokiomi had calmly accepted his challenge despite Saber being occupied by Berserker. Additionally, Kayneth had not heard from Lancer since he had moved to engage Tohsaka. Lancer should, in theory, be stopping any interference from outsiders. But if Tokiomi's ally was himself a Master…

El-Melloi, who did not provide prana for Lancer, would have no way to know if they had engaged his Servant in battle.

Well, if that was their plan, it had failed. Tokiomi had most likely expected the assistance of his allied Master and when that had failed had resolved to make the situation worse for his opponent.

There was little to be worried about if that was the case. Tohsaka's ally was either an untrustworthy man who had betrayed him or an incompetent who had failed to come to his aid. Either way, there was little for Kayneth to fear from such a person.

It was likely that Tohsaka had died in the conflagration; even if he had not, an explosion powerful enough to destroy Vollumen Hydragyrum would leave him incapacitated for an extended amount of time even with the support of Magecraft. In the most favourable case, this meant that Tohsaka and Saber were effectively out of the war. In the worst scenario, what was probably the most talented magus beside himself had been neutralized.

The situation wasn't a complete loss, then. Although he would no doubt rage at the destruction of his masterpiece when he was out of danger.

Satisfied, Kayneth turned and began to leave. For now; he had to focus on leaving the scene and finding a replacement weapon.

He certainly couldn't _recreate_ it, the war wouldn't put itself on hold. He would have to make do with the relics he had brought. Perhaps using the snake would-

Suddenly, he felt his strength leave his limbs. His run faltered and he fell on the ground, barely managing to protect his face with his arms. Turning, he witnessed the impossible.

His clothes all but completely destroyed, Tohsaka Tokiomi stood unharmed admist the remnants of Vollumen Hydragyrum.

"W..what…"

Calmly standing back to his feet, Tohsaka gazed at his fallen opponent

"Allow me to return your words, Lord El-Melloi. _If I had come unprepared, you may have defeated me_."

Even with his garments in such a sad state, the magus projected nothing but complete confidence.  
Kayneth had to regretfully admit that it was most likely justified.

Through some unknown means, Tokiomi had survived the explosion that had torn apart his Vollumen Hydragyrum. The fact that Kayneth had survived the curse that had just been sent his way was probably due to the fact that Tokiomi's own Mystic Code had been destroyed.

His eyes wide, Kayneth backed away. Quickly, quickly. There had to be a recourse, some tool that he had left.

With the gravity of an executioner, Tohsaka lifted his hand. In this situation, there was only one possible recourse.

_"LANCER! COME!"_

The light of the Command Seal illuminated his hand as his Servant materialized before him.

Diarmuid made for a rather sad hero at that moment, his right leg bleeding protusively and multiple small wounds marking his chests. Even more so, he was visibly tired.

He was nonetheless the happiest sight that Kayneth had seen since this disaster begun.

"My lord?"

Frustration and anger clouding his mind, Kayneth allowed himself to hope. Yes, with Lancer, it would be easy to dispatch Tokiomi and then…

"Lancer, kill-" The sight of the Command Seals on Tokiomi's still outstretched hand made him realize his foolishness. "We are leaving. Now."

"Of course."

Not once allowing his eyes to leave his enemy, Diarmuid bent down to support his Master as they began to back away.

The last sight that Kayneth El-Melloi saw of the still silent Tohsaka Tokiomi was a smile of superiority.


	14. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

A shot rang through the night, closely followed by another

With a small amount of satisfaction, Kiritsugu watched the silhouette of Tohsaka Tokiomi collapse on the ground, two holes through –or at least near- his heart. He had decided to wait until Lancer was out of sight before shooting, just in case.

This had been a night well spent. He had displayed Archer's capacities enough that the other Masters would take action and at the same time he had confirmed the limits of Lancer's ability to counter her. With Saber removed from the situation, only Rider was left as a real threat.

Speaking of Saber, there she was, running toward her fallen Master.

Putting his weapon away, his coat rustling as he straightened.

"Archer, it's time to leave."

As he passed by her unmoving form, he made a conscious effort to avoid glancing at her. The pragmatist in him was disgusted at the sight of what was apparently supposed to be armor. What kind of armor didn't protect the torso? And why were her pauldrons so large?  
Well, he supposed he couldn't fault it's offensive capacity.

"What is it?"

The girl had not moved to follow him, still looking down toward the Tohsaka estate.

"The target is still displaying signs of life."

Her voice didn't betray any opinion regarding that fact. It was as emotionless as if she had been commenting on the weather. Kiritsugu had come across enough means to dampen emotions to determine the source of that uncharacteristic behavior.  
It seemed her Noble Phantasm didn't only increase in her battle capacities. She hadn't mentioned it, so it was possible that it was a change that could only be noticed from the outside.

"That's fine. The wound will kill him in a few moments."

Archer shook her head in disagreement.

"No." Her voice was back to her standard display of emotions. "He's already standing up."

What?

Kiritsugu paused as he was reaching for the doorknob.

He had assumed that Tokiomi had been fortunate enough to shield himself from his own conflagration and simply pretended to fall in order to make Kayneth El-Melloi drop his guard. But what if Tokiomi's seemingly suicidal charge had instead been based upon a conviction that he could survive and recover from whatever damage he would inflict on himself?

Certainly, there existed magecraft that could stop bullets. El-Melloi's protection was a good example.  
It was also possible for a magus to heal wounds like those Kiritsugu had inflicted, but that was generally reserved to healing others. Even if he didn't die instantly, a bullet through the heart should be more than sufficient to limit Tohsaka's ability to use magecraft. Additionally, his file had reported him to be at best average when it came to healing.  
Clearly, there were factors in play that Kiritsugu wasn't aware of.

"Then we're leaving faster."

Without wasting another moment, he threw the door open and began to descend the stairs at a fast pace. Moments later, he felt a sharp tug on his prana followed by a glow coming from behind him. Archer had deactivated her Noble Phantasm.

Although it was an annoying setback, Tokiomi's survival changed nothing – the chance to eliminate him had only been a bonus to begin with. And it was better to learn of his ability to heal in a controlled situation like this rather than in the middle of a battle.

Still, between Saber and his own resilience, Tokiomi was possibly the most dangerous competitor.

...Perhaps it was time to make use of the other Masters as more than simple distractions.

* * *

Standing guard outside the mansion, the Heroic Spirit of the Sword looked up to the moon.

After the long day, the action of the night had been a welcome change of pace. Being accustomed to the battlefield, this was her element. The only worrying factor was her own Master.

Tohsaka Tokiomi was a smart man, but it was the kind of intelligence that thrived in controlled situations. He had entered the Holy Grail War in a position of superiority and had planned accordingly, drawing a carefully organized scenario that would lead him to his desired result.

And now that plan had been smashed to pieces by Berserker. Without the safety of his mansion's defensive fields, she couldn't act freely. Additionally, Assassin had proven to be unreliable in defending him.

Although, she suspected that it was a matter of will rather than reliability. Even if he was outmatched by Berserker, Assassin could easily have escaped with Tokiomi or slain the enemy Master that had ambushed him.

No, she couldn't trust Assassin to defend Tokiomi. Tonight's events had confirmed it.

The sound of steady footsteps alerted her to her Master's ally's approach before he came into view.

Brushing her hair aside, Saber turned to face the priest. There was nothing different in his appearance from the last time she had seen him before the war; his coat still sat heavily on his shoulders and the cross still hung on his neck. Still, she couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed in him.

Thinking about it, she has been unable to read that man from the start. It isn't a matter of him hiding his emotions like Assassin; even while suppressing them, he still expresses himself somewhat. Rather, she cannot understand the reason behind his actions; as if there was a gulf between the reality of Kirei Kotomine and her own. It is for that reason that she has been unable to fully accept Tokiomi's assertions as to his loyalty.

"You are late, Kirei."

The slightest nod marked his acknowledgment as he looked up at the mansion's second floor.

"I take it that master Tohsaka is preparing himself?"

If he felt any shame over the fact that his Servant's failure was the cause of that change of plan, he showed no sign of it.

"Yes." Unwilling to let him simply brush away the problem, she pressed on. "Assassin was meant to protect my Master so I could focus on facing the others, Kirei. From what I have been told, he didn't so much as _attempt_ to complete his task."

"…Indeed. It would seem that Assassin failed spectacularly." Calmly, the man raised his hand to delay her retort. "However, it was not deliberate. With the amount of ground that must be covered, even he is stretched thin. Since you were fighting, you may have overlooked it, but Lancer, Archer and their Masters were also present at that time."

A small smile settled upon the priest's features.

"It is true that Assassin failed to intercept Lord El-Melloi, but we clearly underestimated that man's talent in setting up a concealment field in the midst of Berserker's assault. Between keeping track of Lancer, Archer and Berserker, the Assassins that were on guard duty were stretched too thin."

With a frustrated wave of her hand, Saber dismissed the obvious excuses.

"Then why did Assassin not stop the sniper? Do not tell me that he was too preoccupied by Archer and Lancer's battle; we both know that wasn't the case."

Indeed, if there was one thing that she would grant the Servants of the shadows, it was that their abilities to focus on their final goal was unmatched.

"No." For the first time, the man sounded apologetic. "The responsibility for that oversight is mine."

"What?"

"The man who opened fire upon Tohsaka is Emiya Kiritsugu, the "Magus Killer". I had an interest in how he would act in this war, which I have mentioned to Assassin. Combined with your own desire that he allow you to handle matters of battle, it would appear that he decided to prioritize his role as an observer over his duty as a guard. I have already expressed that this was mistaken, of course."

The words reeked of false excuses concocted after the fact, yet she could find no flaw in them. Certainly, something had disappointed Kirei tonight, but had that been Assassin's behavior or this Kiritsugu's failure to eliminate Tokiomi?

Regrettably, the decision didn't depend on her opinion. Tokiomi trusted Kirei implicitely and she had sworn to follow Tokiomi's will.

"…Very well. I will accept this. But I can no longer trust your Servant with my Master's life."

As if he had already foreseen that conclusion, the priest nodded.

"Understandable. It is also my opinion that the time has come for us to take a more active role."

Saber frowned at his ready acceptance. Did this man have no pride? Surely, anyone would be bothered to be dismissed in such a way. She had been acting more offended than she truly was in an attempt to get a grasp of his personality, but it was as though she swung at the air.

"If you have a plan, then you would do well to share it with my Master before making a decision."

Spreading his arm wide, Kotomine Kirei smiled.

"Of course, but I think we will be in agreement on this. Since we have been challenged in such an insulting way by Berserker and his Master, what can we do but strike back?"


	15. Chapter 15

Thanks to everyone who reviews/follows/favourites this story. It's fun to know that people are actually reading this.

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

Above the sleeping city, a chariot maintained itself in mid-air, defying gravity without care. It was fortunate that no one nearby had a habit of stargazing, or they might have spotted the man who proudly stood on it.

"So, what do you think, boy?"

Safely positioned as far from the edges as possible, Waver stared up at the unusually serious Rider.

The two of them had decided to wait until a good opportunity appeared to engage an enemy Servant. Something that had been made difficult due to the early beginning of the battles and the risk of two combatants teaming up against an interference.

"Lancer is better than I thought, but Archer's abilities are troublesome. I would have expected something like that from a Caster."

Of course, that didn't mean that they hadn't taken advantage of the situation to watch the fights from above while they lasted.

Well, Rider had. Waver preferred to safely watch through a familiar rather than risk falling off.

"Oh?" Rider smiled that infuriating grin that usually meant that he knew something Waver didn't. "What makes you say that?"

Sighing, the young Magus prepared himself for his Servant's peculiar brand of logic.

"It's obvious, isn't it? Flying swords, energy attacks…even something like teleporting her weapons! Even if some of it comes from the weapons itself, the way she fights is more fitting of a Caster."

"Is that so?" His grin unwavering, Iskander ruffled his beard. "Well, I suppose. It wouldn't surprise me if she also met the requirements for the Caster class. Boy, what would you call the defining feature of an Archer?"

Now that was simply an insulting question.

"That's obvious, idiot! Using some kind of projectile weapon!"

A loud laugh echoed through the sky.

"Really? But the class is called "Archer". So if it's obvious, shouldn't you have said "using a bow"?"

Waver, who had been about to reply angrily, paused.

Certainly, an ordinary "archer" was simply someone who used a bow. But Sabers were those who used any type of swords and Riders could ride any type of transportation.  
It was fine for regular soldiers to be identified by a single weapon. But Heroic Spirits were exceptions among exceptions, there was no way that seven classes could cover all of their abilities with such simple names. Was that Rider's point?

"I suppose, but that's…"

His hesitant reply was interrupted before he could voice his conclusion.

"Too restrictive, isn't it?" Iskander smiled down at him as he continued to speak. "Of course. An archer is someone who uses a bow, but the Archer class isn't just that. Rather than the definition, you should look at what those Servants do. Since you brought them up, let's take Caster as an example, a Caster is "A Servant that uses magic to secure an advantage". Using that kind of logic, what would Archer be?"

It was in times like this when his experience as a warrior and a general appeared that Waver was reminded of the thing that annoyed him the most about Rider.

How could someone be so stupid one moment and yet be perfectly logical the next?

As for the question…

"I suppose it would be "Someone who attacks from a distance", then."

The large man nodded approvingly, his cloak floating in the wind.

"Close. But on a battlefield, it is important to make sure that the enemy cannot control your army's positioning, so I would say that Archer is "A Servant who controls distance". So how could we say that that girl doesn't fit the class?"

Certainly Waver couldn't deny that reasoning. If an Archer relied on controlling distance, then Archer's weapons that could instantly close the distance without putting herself in danger were undeniably fitting.

"Then Lancer lost because he couldn't deny her that advantage?"

The spontaneous comment that he had launched without expections seemed to gather approval from Rider, as the man nodded energetically before slapping Waver's shoulder in a friendly manner. The fact that this sent Waver sprawling on the chariot's floor didn't change the intent.

"Exactly! Against Archer, the most important is to not to fall into her rhythm. Lancer was too focused on protecting his Master and let her dictate the flow of battle!"

'I won't make that mistake' was the unspoken assurance behind those words.

"I guess we're going to fight now, then?"

After a few moments of reflexion, Rider shook his head in denial.

"I want to see how everyone's strategies will change first; it just wouldn't be any fun if I won before the battle began because they were distracted."

The fact that he couldn't reach high enough was the only thing stopping Waver from strangling his laughing Servant.

* * *

Archer walked through the empty streets, her eyes looking through the night sky that loomed above the city.

Before retreating to a safe place, Kiritsugu had ordered her to find Rider. A task that she'd assumed would be easy given the man's mean of locomotion.

Except apparently the chariot only generated lightning when it was moving, or maybe when Rider wanted it to.

So now she had to look through the city until she found him. She supposed it might have been faster in spirit form, but like this there was a possibility that Rider would spot her first and he didn't seem to be the kind to simply ignore another Servant.

"This is pretty nostalgic…"

Looking through a city for an incomprehensible person because of her orders…ah, that felt like it was so long ago.

At least she was confident that Rider wouldn't go berserk once she found him. He'd probably try to kill her, but he'd be cheerful about it.  
Wait…that was probably considered worse, right?

A flash of killing intent tore through the night and her casual walk turned into a roll as she propelled herself forward, ending in a crouch.

The intent vanished as soon as it had appeared, leaving behind only the peaceful night and...Was that a radio? Had it been there before?

Before she could decide on what to do, a deep, confident voice emerged from the black device lying on the street.

"Servant Archer. I apologize for the interruption, but there is something we must discuss."

* * *

"Who is this?"

The young voice that answered was calm and controlled, but Kirei could still hear a faint amount of surprise in it.

Of course, he had no true need to confirm her identity; Assassin's eyes had confirmed that it was Archer.

"I am Kotomine Kirei."

That would be enough. Emiya's Servant should be well informed.

The silence that followed stretched an uncomfortable amount and he briefly considered continuing before Archer answered. But no, even if his time was limited, it was important that he show the importance of the conversation through his respect.

"…What do you want?"

She was much more guarded now, almost hostile.

Well, that was inevitable.

"Emiya Kiritsugu wishes for an eternal peace. Archer…have you considered what that means? The consequence of such a wish?"

Truth be told, he was taking a severe risk by talking with the enemy in such a time. Tokiomi was almost ready and he had precious little time remaining before they left to battle Berserker – not to mention that Saber already suspected him of treason.

It was a ridiculous thought, of course. He had had no idea that Tokiomi would engage El-Melloi in a duel at the same time that Saber would engage Berserker and Lancer would confront Archer. If it hadn't been for such an event, the two Assassins that he had left as guards would have been more than enough.

It was pure bad luck, really, that this would happen at the same time that he had sent his Servant to try to find Kiritsugu's hideouts.

"Are you implying something?"

The slight hesitation behind the words told him everything.

Archer had realized it, though perhaps only unconsciously. He had been worried that Emiya would have summoned a perfectly loyal hero, or someone as deluded as himself.

"I apologize, but it will take some time for me to explain my reasoning. I will soon need to depart, so I ask that you not interrupt me."

Through the eyes of Assassin, standing on the roof above her, he saw Archer turn to depart, most likely to her previous destination.

"Alright."

He took a deep, slow breath.

Yes, he was risking much by talking to Archer, but if he succeeded…

"I do not know if you are aware of this, but the Holy Grail is not a "perfect wish granting device. It is said to be omnipotent, but that is only within the context of a Magus' wish; a quest for that which cannot be reached. It was never meant for a material wish. Of course, as a granter of wishes, it will respond to those as well."

From the corner of his eye, he saw Assassin hold up two fingers. There was little time left, then.

"However, it is difficult to predict how it will react to more conventional wishes like a demand for riches or social status. That is why I am allied with Tohsaka Tokiomi; to ensure that the wish granted by the Holy Grail is one that will not cause unneeded damage to the world."

He half-expected to be interrupted in defense of Emiya at that point. The fact that Archer remained silent only confirmed his suspicion.

Yes, had already understood, even if she hadn't realized it.

"A wish for peace is beautiful…in theory. However, there remains the question whose answer has eluded humanity for all time: 'How can we achieve it?'.

Beautiful…well, as far as what most of the world would say. There was no need for him to share everything with Archer, least of all his own opinion.

A deep sigh came from the other end.

"…Yes, as you have concluded, the Holy Grail cannot possibly understand such a thing. It can be said to be omnipotent, but neither omniscient nor perfect. It is a depository of power created by humans, after all. When faced with a complex wish, it will most likely either follow the logic of the one who wishes, or default to the simplest conclusion of eliminating the cause – that is, humanity's will."

Had Emiya recognized this? Perhaps. As an outside, it depended on what the Einzbern had shared with him.

Of course, the Einzbern themselves might not have realized this logic; after all, they were a family of magi who had originally sought the immaterial.

Well, even if Kiritsugu had been aware of it, he would most likely have seen a restriction on humanity's will as an acceptable sacrifice for peace. Even though they had only talked once, Kirei was willing to believe that man to be capable of such a decision.

The voice that answered him was hesitant and shaking.

"Even if you say that…even if it makes sense…I can't trust an enemy. It's easy for a lie to be convincing."

As he had thought, it was indeed possible for him to convince Archer.

"Of course, I wouldn't expect you to believe an enemy. That is why I will prove to you, before the night is over, that **I have no intentions but to stop Emiya Kiritsugu from reaching the Grail and committing a foolish mistake**."

As Kirei shut down the radio, Assassin grinned, rejoicing at his master's cunning manipulation.

How unsightly. His own Servant did not recognize the truth held within his words.


	16. Chapter 16

Disclaimer: Still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

From an outsider's perspective, this looked quite one-sided.

On one end of the street, the great Rider and his Master were standing in the immense chariot drawn by two divine bulls.

On the other stood Archer by herself, looking no more impressive than the average student. If a civilian had happened to pass by, he would probably have wondered why the blond girl wasn't fleeing.

To be honest, Waver had been reluctant to let Rider wait for the Servant that had been moving toward them. He had finally caved with the condition that they stay in Gordius Wheel, ready to strike at the first sign of hostility.

The fact that Rider had even considered not doing so was the source of his latest headache.

Still, this was turning out quite nicely. Archer had arrived by walking and had politely kept a fair distance between them. Of course, Waver didn't fool himself into thinking that they were out of her range, but on the other hand he was fairly confident that she couldn't avoid a charge from this position, so this was about as fair as he could ask.

Beside, it wasn't every day that he was in a position to look down on his opposition.

"It took you long enough, Archer." With a grin, Rider opened the conversation. "We've been waiting for four minutes now."

"You!" The girl straightened, her face noticeably redder than before. "If you knew that, you shouldn't have stopped so many blocks away!"

Gulping, Waver decided that it was probably best not to mention that he was the one who had been hesitating.

Still, he had to take at least some control on the situation. He was the only Master here!

"A-anyway, why were you looking for us, Archer? Don't tell me you want to fight?"

"Right!" The girl straightened. "From what you said yesterday, King of Conquerors, you wouldn't be opposed to an alliance?"

An alliance?

Waver paused at that. Certainly it wasn't unheard offor Master to ally, from what he knew of the previous rituals. Iskander's offer to the other Servants had been a more one-sided version of this.

However, because of his Servant's overly forceful attitude, Waver had more or less given up on any kind of diplomacy being possible.

But if this was possible, then…it would be an hard team to defeat. Between Archer's ranged attack and Rider's sheer mobility, the close-ranged opponents wouldn't stand a chance.

"Oh-oh!" The loud voice smashed through Waver's dreams. "Then you're saying that you can defeat me? Pretty confident of you, Archer."

Wait, what?

For a moment, Waver dreaded that he had somehow missed an important part of the conversation.

But no, Archer hadn't moved.

Well, he had to do something before his Servant managed to throw his one chance at an alliance out the window.

"What are you talking about, Rider?"

Still smiling, his Servant looked down at him.

"You haven't figured it out?" His eyes narrowed slightly. "Think about it. There can only be one winner, so any alliances are going to be temporary unless you're willing to give the Grail to someone else. So an alliance means that you're confident that when only the two of you are left, you've won."

That made…a surprising amount of sense.

Waver waited a moment for let Archer to explain otherwise. Surely she couldn't be [I]that[/I] certain that she could defeat Rider.

"I suppose that makes sense." The girl shook her head and spoke with some annoyance. "But my Master made that decision, I don't know what his reasoning is."

"I had forgotten that like Lancer, you also have a difficult Master." Deep in thought, Rider's expression turned shrewd. "You're opposed to this, aren't you?"

Even Waver could see the truth from the fact that Archer avoided Rider's eyes.

"Anyway!" The girl waved the question away. "I'd like your answer."

Yes, this alliance definitely wasn't something that Archer wanted. Waver admittedly had no idea if the girl was a good conversationalist, but she hadn't even attempted to explain why it would be in their advantage to accept.

Rider shook his head in negative.

"I'm not opposed to the idea of allying with you, Archer, but I have no respect for a man who won't even come to the negociation table himself."

An odd expression passed on his Servant's face, swiftly followed by a grin.

"Although, I suppose it isn't up to me! What do you think, boy?"

Wait, what? This was a joke, right? The oaf didn't respect him at all, but when a difficult decision came around, suddenly he was treated like a Master?

"Why even bother?" He was aware that he sounded rather morose, but he couldn't help it. "You're just going to do whatever you want anyway, aren't you?"

Much to his surprise, the large hand that fell on his shoulder didn't push him to the ground.

"Don't be like that, boy." The normally brusque voice was now low and supporting. "I'm more experienced on the battlefield, so I take the lead. But I promise I'll accept your decision on this."

Even as Waver perked up, Rider waved toward a rather bewildered Archer.

"On one hand, you have Archer. She seems pretty trustworthy, so odds are she'll keep to her word even if this isn't her idea."

The hand that had been on Waver's shoulder lifted the indicate the nearby rooftops.

"On the other, you have Archer's master. You saw what happened earlier, so we can safely say that he's not an honorable knight. Even if he keeps his word, we'd have to be prepared for a surprise attack as soon as we're the only ones left."

The large bended, his face uncomfortably close ot his Master's.

"So, boy, which is it? Shall we ally in order to guarantee our triumph until the finish line, or do we challenge the world by ourselves and risk being the ones allied against?"

Had the choice been left to Rider, Waver had no doubt that he would have chosen the second option. Challenging everything that stood in his way was the King of Conqueror's way of life.

And yet…Rider had been willing to set aside his own preferences and listen to Waver. Even if it was a small thing, he couldn't help but feel pride from the implied trust.

Could he challenge everyone like Rider would? Just a few days ago, he had been willing to join the Holy Grail War simply because his pride had been bruised.

But he was wiser now, or so he liked to think. Rider might have the capacity to overcome all six Servants one by one, or perhaps even two at once, but there was no way he could do it while protecting Waver.

He had accepted that he needed to rely on Rider to win, but he would never be able to accept it if he was the reason for Rider's defeat.

At the same time, he doubted that accepting Archer's offer was a good idea. From what little he had seen of her Master, he was the kind of ruthless man that Magi claimed to be. He would probably learn more about Rider than Waver would learn about him.

The fact that the man had apparently felt that Waver didn't even warrant to be met in person also played a small part.

So he would have to compromise.

When he opened his eyes (when had he closed them?), he found that Rider was still looking at him expectantly.

Surprisingly, Archer didn't seem to be running out of patience.

"I-" He paused a moment ot clear his throat, this was important. "I don't feel that an alliance would be advantageous for Rider and me right now."

He hurried to continue as the girl opened her mouth, mostly to correct Rider's growing grin.

"But, I am willing to put off your battle against Rider until only two Servants remain."

Much to his surprise, Archer showed no sign of surprise or of considering his new offer.

"That's fine." As soon as she spoke those words, she seemed much more confident. "I'll be looking forward to it, Alexander."

As the girl vanished in golden lights with a satisfied smile, a large hand fell on his back.

"Well done, Waver." Looking at his disappearing enemy, Iskander seemed just as satisfied. "If you were always like this, I would listen to you a lot more, you know?"

For some reason, the demeaning comment didn't feel him with anger like they usually did.


	17. Chapter 17

More of an interlude before the night's final battle than a full chapter.

Apologies if anyone got the E-mail twice, I had to correct the formatting since it got messed up.

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

"If you couldn't even defeat one of the enemy Masters, then what was the point of having me provide prana for Lancer?!"

The one whose raised voice resonates throughout the hotel room is named Sola-Ui Nuada-Re Sophia-Ri. Though she was someone with no interest in the Holy Grail, she ended up being dragged into this matter due to her fiancée, Kayneth.  
Well, although it's true that she originally had no interest in the war, it could be said that she found her own motivation in Servant Lancer. Compared to the marriage of convenience that has been arranged for her, that hero is someone that she values much more.

It is probably because of that newfound attachment that she was angered by Kayneth's earlier defeat at the end of an inferior magus. But no matter how you looked at it, the man's uncharacteristical silence did nothing to soothe her.

"Well, aren't you going to say anything to defend yourself, Kayneth El-Melloi?!"

If she were anyone else, then the punishment for such presumptuous would have been swift. However, unlike Sola, Kayneth found true appreciation at the prospect of their marriage. Indeed, it could be said that even her anger was something that he could appreciate as much as her beautiful red hair.

Ordinarily, the man attempted to protect himself from affronts to his pride without lashing out at her. The fact that he did not even make the slightest effort to do so today was something that deeply unnerved her.

"Sola-sama, please…"

The beautiful voice that had been meant to cease her rage was itself cut-off.

"You're right, of course."

The voice of Lancer's master was low and even. Had he even listened to a word she'd said?

"And what am I right about?"

"I was overconfident."

Slowly, Kayneth El-Melloi rose to his feet and turned toward his Servant.

"You did well, Diarmuid. The failure to anticipate Tokiomi's trickery was mine."

"No, my lord." Though his wounds had already healed, Lancer's movements were still slightly stiffer than they were at the beginning of the night. "The fault is mine, for failing to acquire Archer's head."  
Why was Lancer acting like this? Even Kayneth had said it was his fault! Diarmuid couldn't be blamed for his Master's incompetence!

"Then recuperate and redeem yourself tomorrow." Dismissing the matter, the magus began to walk toward his work place.

He was just going to walk off? That really wasn't like him.

"What are you going to do now, Kayneth?"

"What you advised me to do." He replied without turning to face her. "It's time I show my 'rivals' exactly whom it is that they are competing with."

The man's voice shook with an intensity that Sola had never heard from him.

"Do not disturb me for the night."

* * *

There was no need for him to lock the door. Lancer knew better than to disturb him and even Sola would think twice before disturbing an experiment that he executed as a magus.  
He was vaguely aware in the back of his mind that Sola had been even more critical of his action than usual, but that thought was swiftly washed away.

Tohsaka Tokiomi and the unknown man who had fired on him yesterday…twice now he had headed out to face challengers and twice he had been humiliated. First by an impertinent worm that dared to defile the ritual with mundane methods and second by his own pride that had led to his defeat at the end of an inferior magus. And to think, he had expected Waver's foolish theft to be the most distasteful event that would blemish his memory of the Holy Grail War.

There would be no third humiliation. He would not, _could not_, allow it.

When he entered the temporary workshop, which was little more than a refurbished hotel room, his eyes immediately located what he was aiming for.

Innocently laid down inside a glass case lied a metallic chain, unremarkable but for the end that had been shaped to look like the end of a snake.

The innocuous object was the most uncertain 'trump card' that Kayneth had brought from Europe.

To be honest, it was a dangerous gamble.

Oh, he didn't worry about the potential rewards. While the relic had been dormant for centuries, it's power had not been diminished if the attempts to analyze it were correct. That kind of power which endured through the ages was something to be admired and would no doubt equalize the field between him and Tohsaka's mysterious resilience.

The gamble came from the inherent weakness of all experiments; he could not guarantee it's success. Everything that he knew about the artifact said that he would succeed, but ancient powers had a tendency to decide that they didn't follow modern rules.

And given the price to be paid for his attempt, if he failed…

Looking down at his hands, the magus closed them into fists.

No. This was his rite of passage into greater glory. With his victory, he would rise to a level that surpassed even that of a genius.

Yes…since his talent had been put into question, he would re-establish his superiority and rise even higher than before.

"This time…you will obey me."

With grim determination, Kayneth El-Melloi seized the black chain and challenged his fate.

_Time elapsed since last connection attempt: 2185 days, 15 hours._

Time elapsed since last successful connection: -data corrupted-

Connection attempt detected. Analyzing compatibility. Analysis complete.

Compatibility rank D. Insufficient. Rejecting connection.

"Kayneth Archibald El-Melloi commands you, obey!"

Upon the magus' right hand shone the light of a miracle.

_Error. Unknown energy source detected. Aborting analysis. _

_Override command received. Continuing analysis._

_Analysis complete._

_Compatibility rank D. Insufficient. Override command received._

_Nox Nyctores: Geminus Anguium Ouroboros, activated._


	18. Chapter 18

Disclaimer: Still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon

* * *

Beautiful light shone in the distance.

In a world hazed red, only that light burned bright.

He had known her, once, long ago.

He had hurt her, long ago.

He had been close earlier, but righteous judgment had been delayed by an interference. It wouldn't happen again, not this time. His long-desired outcome would be attained.

He was vaguely aware of the weakened, dying anchor lying on the ground in the nearby alley. It was an unfortunate and unsightly fate that belonged to his Master, but he felt neither pity nor remorse. It was the duty of the summoner to endure the burden and to overcome the pain.  
If it came to it, then death was an acceptable escape, so long as the one matter that had importance was settled first.

Slowly the light began to move toward his position. At last, she was coming to him.

Faintly, he realized that more of his mind was consumed by the red haze as his immaterial hands closed around the weapon that they recalled so well.

That was fine. Let him forget everything, let the past vanish in burning hatred.

From this point forth, all he had to hold unto was that name and the feeling that filled him.

_"Arthur…"_

* * *

Though their movements were as smooth as ever, the Assassins were filled with bitterness and hesitation. That was because theirs were the steps of dead men.

How had it turned out this way? Just a few minutes ago, the Holy Grail War had been well on its way to their victory. Saber's decision to stay at Tokiomi's side had been problematic, but nothing that couldn't be bypassed when she was in a battle.

And then a single sentence had ruined it all.

_"All of you, face Rider directly and slay his Master."_

The command had been too suddent to be stopped and there was nothing that they could oppose to the Command Seal that Kotomine Kirei had released.

By the time they had registered his words, their bodies had already been forced to obey.

Oh, it hadn't taken long for them to see his logic. Since he had successfully shifted the blame unto them for the actions of Archer's Master, he would earn back some of Saber's trust by getting rid of them in a useful way. Tokiomi, of course, would be glad to learn any information that they forced Rider to reveal in the process.

But the true prize was the girl that would receive the proof of Kotomine's claim to have no desire for the Holy Grail.

In that light, they did not begrudge their Master's decision; he had taken what he considered the most logical course of action. So, if they survived this, his death would be purely a matter of having breached the professional trust between them.

And they _would_ survive, if they had anything to say about it. It was probably impossible to defeat Rider, but his hapless Master could most likely be slain through overwhelming numbers.

As the shadows gathered around the street, the man on the chariot grinned and raised an arm to beckon his challengers.

"Ah, this is good. I thought that I might have to hunt down Lancer tonight."

* * *

Standing on the rooftop to her left was Kotomine Kirei, searching for Berserker's ellusive Master. About two streets to the West was where she had left Tokiomi; close enough to be in range to receive assistance if require, far enough to escape the enemy's attention.

And, standing before her as still as the moon, the ominous silhouette of the knight shrouded in darkness.

He certainly didn't look like a Berserker from this distance, save perhaps for the fact that the weapon that he held was once more a lamp post. Judging from their previous encounter, she was two steps short of his "ideal distance"; if she approached any further, he would fall upon her like a whirlwind.

In another situation, she might have waited until he lost control and charged her from a slightly less advantageous position, an event which certainly wouldn't take long judging from his quickening breaths.

But she suspected that such a strategy would be futile against this opponent. He was too quick and too skilled to be put off-balance simply because his charge was slightly longer than was comfortable. No, it was best to stick to the plan.

One step, two steps…

"AR…UR!"

Like a jack-in-a-box, the black knight immediately sprung forward, perfectly striking at her head with his unbalanced weapon.

But she had expected it this time. Calmly, she deflected the blows which rained down on her, allowing him to push her back toward the end of the street.

"ARRR!"

Continuing to strike without openings, he darted past her with an agility she could only admire, reversing their position.

"You…!"

Had he understood? Could he really have retained that much mind? No…this was only a coincidence. It had to be.

Propelling herself forward with a burst of prana, she crossed the favored threshold of his weapon and brought the invisible sword down upon his head.

With a growl, he twisted the pole in his hands, barely intercepting the blade before it fell.

"Got you!"

Ceaselessly she pushed back against him. Though his frame was much larger, they were equal in strength. In this situation, the deciding factor would be.

A thunderous crack heralded the shattering of the makeshift Noble Phantasm in his hand. How could a mere improvisation be expected hold against the greatest Holy Sword?

Having finally broken through, her sword crashed against the black armor with insufficient power to damage it. Nonetheless, she pushed herself forward, tackling the unbalanced knight and sending him crashing down the short flight of stairs that led to the beach.

Just as Tokiomi had requested, she had now moved the battle to a place that would limit collateral damage. Of course, even without his input, she would have attempted to do so in order to free her greatest weapon.

However, the raw malice that the prone form exuded stole any feeling of victory that she might have allowed herself. His madness might have blinded him to her true intentions, but Berserker had most definitely been able to tell that she was merely buying time; that was why he had changed their orientation to force her to push forward.

Such an instantaneous analysis of her abilities, combined with his knowledge of her blade could only mean one thing.

She knew this knight.

From atop the stairs, she pointed her blade at the rising Berserker.

"Well? Do you insist on continuing this farce? For the second time, reveal yourself!"

At once, the constant movement ceased. Then slowly, the armored gauntlets rose to grasp at his helm.

He had understood her demand? The acknowledgement that should have pleased her sent a chill down her spine.

The black helmet fell to the ground as sinister smoke faded, revealing the raging glare of the man's grey eyes.

What made Arturia step back was not the hatred, but the recognition of his identity.

A shaking hand still covered in armor reached for his sheath and retrieved the unblemished blade within.

Held high in the black knight's hands, Arondight - the Unfading Light of the Lake reflected his king's sadness.


	19. Chapter 19

Disclaimer: Still own neither Type-Moon nor Blazblue.

Thanks again to everyone who reviews.

* * *

It was the duty of the king to ensure the kingdom's well-being. So long as the king accomplished his duty, the people could live peacefully and without fear. If there was chaos, then it was the king's duty to quell it. If there was war, then it was the king's duty to emerge victorious. If there was a dilemma, then it was the king's duty to find the answer. Because that was a burden that no human could bear, the king had to be an ideal, the realization of his people's dreams. Therefore, the fall of his kingdom could only be due to the king's failure and inadequacy.

Those were the thoughts that filled a young girl's heart as she felt death approach upon the hill that marked her final battlefield.

They were the foolish thoughts of one who shouldered the dreams of others while neglecting her own.

There was one man who served under the king, the best of friend and the greatest of knights. And yet, the paragon was the one who eventually resented the girl the most.

The source of that resentment came from his own act. Due to his own weakness, the knight betrayed the king's trust and commited a most grievous sin.

And yet the king, who could not forget their friendship, forgave him again and again.

It would have been better if she had mercilessly punished him for his crime. Then, at least, his conscience would have been put to rest. If he had been hated, then he would not have had to hate himself.

Guilt turned to bitterness, bitterness to despair and despair led to madness.

At the end of the knight's life, madness became a burning rage that consumed his mind.

Such was the origin of Servant Berserker, Lancelot of the Lake, who now stood before his once King by either the whim of Fate or the working of the Grail.

"My friend...do you still resent me so?"

The only answer that came was a maddened roar as the Knight of the Lake charged, bringing the fallen holy sword against her.

With her mind in turmoil, it was only the memories of countless battles that allowed her to raise Excalibur to meet it.

The battle that had previously been an equal match turned into one-sided elimination. Berserker, who had relied on his agility to gain the advantage, relentlessly pushed his advantage, swinging the blackened sword with ever greater strength. Saber, caught in her own torment, could not bring herself to strike back. In trembling hands, the golden sword that promised victory had been reduced to nothing more than a shield with which she protected her body. With every swing that was stopped, her arms shook even as tears streamed down from her eyes.

Inevitably, the swift blade pierced through her defense, crashing against her armor with force enough to push her off-balance.

Immediately seizing the opportunity, the black knight pushed forward, the tip of his blade heading for her throat.

How could she hope to fight against him, when it was her own fault that he had become like this?

"**_Arthur!_**"

The furious cry of her former friend pierced through the fog of despair that had encircled her mind. For the first time, she fully took note of the maddened rage burning inside his eyes as he cursed her with every roar; to the fact that even his cherished blade had become blackened with anger.

Was this truly the same man that had stood by her side, fought alongside her and protected the one he loved even until death?

If he had turned away from all that he had loved.. how could she _not_ oppose him?

With narrowed eyes, the girl intercepted the strike with her left hand, gritting her teeth as it pierced through her gauntlet and drew blood. Drawing an arc with the holy blade in her right arm, she forced the madman to retreat.

"It is your right to hate me…but _I will not allow you to have been reduced to this!_"

* * *

From a nearby rooftop, Kotomine Kirei looked over the struggle as raging black once more clashed against the silver king.

Thanks to the Master's Sight, the black knight's identity had been made clear to him as soon as the black fog had lifted. It was a good thing that he had chosen to delay his advice of retreating to Tokiomi, since Saber had apparently regained her senses.

Still, even from his faraway vantage point he could tell that the battle was going poorly. Ordinarily, it was likely that the Knight of the Lake and the King of Knights were equals; however Mad Enhancement put the battle firmly in Lancelot's favor.

But there would be no better opportunity. Now that Berserker had successfully been lured away from the inhabitated part of the city, there existed the possibility of defeating him with Saber's greatest attack.

Well, that was the plan made under the assumption that she would be willing to use it. Now that an unknown factor had been added, it would be logical to advise Tokiomi to retreat.

And yet, Kirei continued to motionlessly track the battle with his eyes even as its speed defied the limits of humanity.

Arthur, hailed as a perfect king and Lancelot, hailed as a perfect knight. Two friends who should have stood together until the end, yet had been torn apart by love. He was familiar with the story; yet he could not help but feel that it was incomplete. If it had ended with Lancelot's execution there would be no need for the hesitation that he could see in Saber.

The clash between those two heroes…after having his expectations crushed by Emiya Kiritsugu, it could only be by God's will that he was given the chance to witness such a spectacle. Two people who had lived full lives according to their own desires and ideals, yet had met such different ending. What was it that would appear at the end of their battle?

It was because he felt that he had to witness the answer that he made no effort to halt it.


	20. Chapter 20

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

* * *

The scream of metal against metal ran through her ears, drowning out the sound produced by the two combatants as they were pushed back.

She had long ago lost track of how many times their swords had clashed together and she had barely managed to push him back.

Again and again, he rained down blows upon her, punishing every sign of weakness and exploiting every opening, to the point that her armor showed several cracks from the blows that she hadn't been able to intercept.  
Even though she knew it was only because of her weakening arms, the latest strike made her feel as if her blade was threatening to break in half.

How much longer could she last before she was simply overwhelmed? A single look at his form, which shook with greater fury than ever before, told her that it wouldn't be long enough.  
In another situation, perhaps, she could have matched him blow for blow. But now that he draws strength from his madness she cannot hope to compete with that sword in a match. With her left hand wounded, she cannot even hope to triumph in a contest of strength.  
In other words there is only one hope for her; she must use her strongest trump card against him at the first opportunity.  
The compressed wind that surrounded Excalibur lifts, revealing the strongest holy sword in all its glory.  
Transmitting prana to her legs, the girl dashes forward toward the enemy with all her strength.

Silently fuming, the man shook himself and took his stance again. He had passed the point of shouting his fury some time ago.  
Though unable to express himself or think clearly, his memories still guide him. His incomparable talent for fighting is carved into the very fiber of his being and that is why he can dominate the course of battle even when reduced to this state.  
_"Do not stop." "The enemy cannot be left alone." "Kill."_  
Without cease, those three commands echoed through him. Gripping Arondight with two hands, he pushes himself past his limit and charge.

This is their strongest, final clash. The sand surrounding them is blasted away.

And yet…

The king that had been pushed back every time plants her feet deeper in the crumbling ground and stands up to the black knight. It is an unexpected change in behavior that should give pause, but Berserker simply pushes back with greater force. That is the one flaw in his perfect talent; driven by bloodlust, he cannot refuse such a challenge.  
At that time, the raging wind that had surrounded the golden blade falls upon him.

The flawless armor that protects him screeches as parts of it are torn away, and his footing that was ideal for pushing is disturbed.  
An instant later, the golden sword pushes past Arondight, aiming for his neck.  
In an impossible movement, he twists on his feet and the blade strikes nothing but his left shoulder, shearing off pieces of the armor that had been weakened by the air.

For the first time, Lancelot is pushed back, putting distance between them in order to regain his footing and escape the wind's onslaught.  
At the same time, the thoughts that echoed through his head are silenced by the awakening of a golden light.

Around Arturia, the night falls silent as countless golden sparks converge upon her sword. With all her strength, the King of Knight held the sword above her head with both hands.

That light was the greatest power that she possessed; the proof of the example that she provided for all those who called themselves warrior.

In this situation, it was impossible for Berserker to avoid; it was the one attack that Lancelot of the Lake could not overcome.

Madness gave way to sorrow as the knight laid eyes upon the nostalgic light of his king.

With the shouting of one final word, the king once more swore to uphold the dream that they had shared.

**"**

Sword of Promised Victory

**EX…CALIBUR!**

**"**

Without hesitation, the torrent of light that surrounds the sword cuts through the darkness and rains down on Berserker.  
It is not a light that can be seen anywhere on Earth and it's glory would eclipse even the sun.  
It is because of that supreme power that she has lured him to a place where innocents could not be struck.

The black knight faced what he had forgotten, his lips forming a bitter smile.

"So you will continue the fight, Arthur?"

His existence is washed away without resistance, and the grudge that pressed down upon the night finally lifts.

* * *

It took only a minute for the water to close the gap that had been created and for fading pyreflies to be the only remnant of the miracle that had been witnessed. Although it had lasted mere moments, none of those who had beheld the king's sword would forget its glory while they lived.

And yet…

"This…what am I to take from this?"

It was the man who had watched it the most intensely that was left unfulfilled.

At the end of a struggle full of passion that had made his heart race, the only thing that had appeared was an absolute victory that left him unfulfilled.  
What had Saber learnt, at the end of that path? Would she not simply continue onward with even greater conviction?

And if her conviction were confirmed, if the battle merely affirmed her beliefs, then…why could he not find satisfaction in the triumph of rightgeousness? Why was it that exalted light had simply washed away the beauty that he found in their battle?

Like a floodgate, the truth that he had never allowed himself to acknowledge flooded his mind, bringing a mirthless smile on his face.

From the day he was born, the man had never found true joy and peace. That was because he had always been alone, one step removed from those who surrounded him.  
Humans connected with the feelings of their fellows and gained those feelings themselves. Seeing a cheerful person, making someone else happy, saving another; those were what humans should thrive to do.  
Though he had always struggled to do what was right, Kotomine Kirei had not been able to partake in that joy. Even when that person had burnt away her life standing by his side, the only thing that he had enjoyed was the fading of her light.

The reason for that was very simple.

He had always known, and that realization brought him to his knees.

After all, there had only ever been one truth for him. It had been locked away until now, but he could no longer deny it after finding only disappointment even in mankind's glorious dreams..

"Haha…from the start, virtue was only a dream…"

Why had he ever thought that he could do it? If he was born twisted from the start, then he could not be a good man.  
How could he hope to help others, when he only enjoyed their negativity?

"But you already did good back then, didn't you?"

Through long-honed reflexes, his head turned toward the source of the sound and his body tensed faster than he processed the words. How long had it been since he had allowed himself to be so unguarded?

It was an unfit reaction in this situation, any enemy would already have felled him while he was distracted. Indeed, the only thing that he could see in the blue eyes of the girl standing nearby was his own reflection.

"When you were by her side…I don't think anyone would accuse you of having been wrong when you supported her to the very end."

How could anyone know of this? The question that he should have been asking never even came to his mind.

"There is nothing good about enjoying someone's suffering."

"No." The girl calmly agreed. "But that doesn't make it evil. Feelings are only for yourself, what you do with them; that's what determines good and evil. Someone who hates suffering but causes it is still evil; someone who finds it pleasant but puts a stop to it is still good."

Morality based on actions…it was a train of thought that he had rarely applied to himself. He knew that his conduct had often been called exemplary, but had never obtained anything from it.

"So I am left with no choice but to live a life empty of satisfaction, or to be condemned to evil?"

How could that be the case? The unfairness…a life that existed only to feel ennui or to make others suffer couldn't come from God.

The reply was much more hesitant than she had been before.

"I don't know anything about faith, but if you enjoy bad things….then I'm sure that people who despair would like to be helped by someone who's happy. "

Certainly, some of his more statisfactory days had been by her side, even though he had never allowed himself to feel joy. And she…she had never once been unhappy with his presence, even knowing that he couldn't feel as she did.

"But even if I were to support others, that doesn't mean-"

"That _you_'re a good man? Why are you here, aside from this issue?"

An easy question that his mind latched unto for stability.

"To grant Tohsaka Tokiomi the Holy Grail." His voice was a simple monotone. "Failing that, to ensure that it grants no wish that would intrude upon the physical world."

A happy smile appeared on the girl's face.

"See? An evil man would want the Grail. A man that doesn't care wouldn't risk his life. But you're willing to risk yourself for people that you don't care about, simply because it's the right thing to do…doesn't that make you a good man?"

The two fell silent for a long time.

What had Archer been expecting when she had come? Kirei couldn't imagine it, but at this moment, there was nothing that he could offer. As if realizing that fact, the girl in blue vanished, leaving behind only his memory of what she had said.

He had often heard similar words. From his father, from his teachers, from Tokiomi, but for the first time he felt as if he had been assessed.

All pretense washed away, yet he had still been acknowledged by someone.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: Still own neither Type-Moon nor Blazblue.

* * *

It had been a risk to approach Kotomine Kirei in that situation, considering that Saber was so close and there was no way to tell when she would have recovered from using her Noble Phantasm.

But she had wanted to see what he had meant by proving to her that he had no interest in the Holy Grail.  
She still didn't know what that proof really was, but it didn't matter. There was no way he could have deceived her eyes while in that mental state and the man that she had seen didn't have any desire for the Holy Grail.  
Their discussion had been cut short, but she would have to seek him out again to see the conclusion he reached, before the war came to an end.

To be honest, she wasn't sure she completely believed what she had told him. It was definitely odd to consider someone who enjoyed the suffering of others a good man.  
But on the other hand, she would never forgive herself if she simply let a man who had tried his hardest to be good fail simply because of the way he had been born. Her own way of living wouldn't allow that.

But for now, she had to return to Kiritsugu. Her Master would probably be worried if she waited too long.  
Well, probably more suspicious than anything else, considering the man in question. And she couldn't even claim that it would be unfair anymore.

But as she had been about to revert to spirit form, a chill ran down her spine.

Something _wrong _was nearby. A threat of a completely different nature from a Servant.

"Well, now." A kind elderly voice came from a nearby shadow. "That was quite a mean thing you did to that young man."

Considering that she had met, or at least seen, everyone involved in the Holy Grail War, Archer was surprised to find that the speaker was a complete stranger. Short, his hunched back supported by a cane in his right hand and standing only partially out of the shadows that he had been hiding in, the old man was more or less the most suspicious person she had seen since her summoning.  
Even excluding everything else, the simple fact that she was on a rooftop would have told her that he wasn't a normal person.

"Humph." The source of her wariness spoke again. "Are people so impolite these days that you won't even acknowledge an old man?"

The most disconcerting thing was that his annoyance sounded genuine, the perfect image of the grumpy old man. Surely there was no one that could say something like that seriously?

Well even if he was dangerous, she had no reason to be rude to him.

"I'm sorry, you took me by surprise. But I don't see what you're talking about."

Her voice had risen, but that couldn't be helped. He was the one being rude by throwing accusation at someone he'd never met.

"I see, I see." A dry chuckle comes from his lips. "This is my fault for not being clear enough. I was referring to what you did to that poor young man back there. He would lead a much happier life if you let him reach his own conclusion."

Then he had been watching their dicussion? Strange…  
Certainly, Kirei hadn't been in a very observant state of mind, but she should have noticed it if someone was close enough to listen.

"Who are you?"

The thing that looked like an old man showed a twisted smile.

"I must be forgetting my manners." How could he sound honestly sorry? Was he that good an actor? "I am Matou Zouken."

Matou…Matou…she had heard that name somewhere.

From Kiritsugu, of course. They were one of the three "families of the beginning" that had created the Holy Grail.

Then…

"You're involved in the war?"

Matou Zouken held up his free hand defensively.

"No, no. Once upon a time, perhaps, but I am retired these days." He gestured toward the beach. "In fact, you have just witnessed the end of this generation's effort. Sad, wasn't it?"

There was something unnerving about the fact that his smile never faltered.

Lifting his cane, he tapped the ground next to his feet.

"But do not attempt to distract me, young lady. We were talking about what you did to that poor man."

Even though she doesn't want to talk about it, something tells her that it would be dangerous to simply ignore him.  
Beside, gaining victory will be difficult enough without making more enemies. Since he doesn't seem to have any intentions of getting involved, so there shouldn't be a problem.

"I wanted him to make his own choice, without being forced into it. What he decides to do when facing an alternative is up to him."

Well, she would stop him if he fell back into the answer he was about to reach before her intervention. Sympathizing with his situation and accepting his choice are two different things, after all.  
But there's very little risk of that, because Kotomine Kirei has already spent most of his life fleeing that conclusion.  
The old man must also be aware of this to an extent, because he ignores the possibility entirely.

"Humph. 'His own choice'? What a farce. A man cannot change the way he is born. Someone like him, who is defective in such a way, cannot live a virtuous life. By feeding into his delusion, you have condemned him to yet more years of torment seeking an answer that he cannot recognize."

For some reason, she cannot help but think that Matou Zouken is somewhat bothered by the possibility that he is wrong in this. But why would someone who, as far as she knows, has no link to Kotomine Kirei be invested in his future?

"I disagree. It might be true that he's different from humans, but that doesn't make him defective. I'm sure he can find a way to live happily without acting against his wishes."

The old man's eyes narrow at her words. It is strange, but she somehow feels pressured by the white orbs, as if they carried a heavy weight.

After a few seconds of thinking on her answer, he bows his head.

"Kakaka." It is a laugh without mirth or emotion, little more than a clattering of teeth. "That is the folly of youth, I suppose. Both of you will find out that you are mistaken, in time."

Slowly, he begins to back away.

"Well, I suppose in your case you'll be gone by then. It must be a great joy, to be a temporary existence that won't have to see the consequences of your actions."

There seems to be something more behind those cruel words, but she cannot grasp it. Just like his departing shadow, it is wrapped in the image of an ordinary old man.  
The conclusion might be a bit hasty, but she thinks that Matou Zouken is someone that she wouldn't be able to understand regardless of what happens in the future.

While some part of her feels like pursuing him and demanding answers, she has better things to do than dwell on the words of yet another meddling manipulator. Kiritsugu is still waiting for her and if she wants to end the battle quickly, she can't afford to waste more time by making him worry.

In order to ensure that there are no further distractions, she shifts into spirit form and leaves for the rendez-vouz point.


	22. Chapter 22

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon

* * *

With a sigh, the knight allowed herself a short time to relax after her Master had fallen asleep.

After the incident at the mansion, Tokiomi had been forced to relocate to the house where she had been staying. The ravaged courtyard would attract too much attention tomorrow, even if the Church's agents would stop any serious investigation.

How strange that it had only been a few hours since she had complained about the monotony of the day. But then, she had never imagined that she would have to face her friend again.  
Even though he hadn't said a thing, she knew that Tohsaka was worried after receiving his accomplise's report. Was she still determined? Would this impact her performance in the future? Those were undoubtedly the kind of questions that were swirling through his mind even as he slept.

She had given thought to addressing them, to reassure him that this changed nothing; that Lancelot's fate had only given her greater motivation. But she had decided that the words would have been pointless since Tohsaka Tokiomi was the kind of man who would worry even if he possessed an absolute advantage. It was better to save her breath and prove her reliability through actions.

After all, she had already said everything that needed to be said when they had sealed the contract.

"I vow to be your sword and grant you absolute victory."

The sound of footsteps coming from downstairs reminded her that she wasn't the only one awake. Kotomine Kirei was also present, though saying that he was acting as a guard would probably be an exaggeration. He seemed to be awake mostly because of the strange mood that they had found him in after the battle.

It wasn't something overly noticeable, buried underneath an iron discipline, but he was definitely shaken for a reason that escaped her. The proof was in the fact that he had been pacing from one side of the room to another for the past five minutes; a behavior completely at odd with the unnerving stillness of the man that she had first met.

A mix of curiosity and responsibility brought her down the stairs, where she witnessed a strange contrast.

As expected, Kotomine Kirei was pacing. However unlike most people, he didn't do so with a hand to his chin and a pensive look on his face. Instead, his features were utterly blank, as if he was simply wondering what he would eat for breakfast tomorrow. His movements were equally far from expressing his turmoil, seeming almost mechanical in their precision.

For the first time she allowed herself a moment of compassion for the life that the man must have led to be so perfectly composed even when his mind was in turmoil. Even she who had chosen the lonely path of the king had not managed to close her heart so completely.

He ceased the action almost immediately after she was done descending the stairs. It was reassuring to know that whatever was on his mind at least hadn't blinded him to the outside world.  
The brown eyes that focused upon her were different from what they had been when she had questioned his trustworthiness. Calm acceptance had given way to uncertainty.

Saving her from having to decide how to breach the subject, Kirei spoke first.

"King of Knights, though your reign was short, you must have judged many in your duties. I would like your opinion on a question whose answer eludes me."

For someone asking for a favor, he certainly didn't restrain himself to being polite. Still, she brushed aside the slight to her pride without letting it show; considering the man in question it was possible that he hadn't intended the offense.  
Beside, she was curious as to what kind of question could bring a man of such discipline to seek assistance.

"I have no reason to refuse your request." Unconsciously, she straightened her posture and Servant Saber once more stood as a king. "If I can answer your question, then I will do so."

Kirei nodded in…gratitude? It was difficult to tell when his expression was so closed off. But for the first time, she could perceive a part of his inner turmoil in his voice.

"Should a man who commits righteous acts be called righteous himself, regardless of why he acts?"

That had not been what she had expected.

In retrospect, it should have been obvious that his question would be unrelated to a king's judgment. As a member of the Church, Kotomine Kirei had his own notion of crime and punishment that did not require an outside's input. While it was required of a king to fairly judge what was right and wrong for the kingdom and to set the example through their own righteousness, that did not give the king the right to label their subjects as good or evil.  
Therefore, contrary to what he claimed, the question was asked not to Britain's king, but to Arturia's own beliefs.

It was a personal matter that did not concern him, but she had already agreed to answer even if it was under a false impression. She wouldn't go back on her word simply because she disliked the man.

As for the question itself, she had to admit that it was hardly her specialty. In her life, she hardly had time to debate semantics with others, no matter how much Merlin attempted to draw her into that kind of arguments.  
Additionally, there was very little difference for her between action and motivation. If something was right, then it deserved to be done as a matter of course.

But still… those who had gathered around her had possessed their own desires and motivations. Even among her inner circle of knights, it was certainly true that some had been motivated by glory more than by doing what was right.  
Could she bring herself to call those who had fought alongside her, given their lives for the kingdom wrong simply because they had been motivated by something different from her own dream? Of course not.

So the question, like so many others, simply seemed complex because people thought about it too much.

"The question answers itself, doesn't it? A righteous person is one who behaves righteously. Unless the man's motivation is harmful in itself, there is no reason why it would tarnish the act. What brought this on, Kotomine Kirei? I did not think you were the kind of man to bother with such vague questions."

His eyes widened for a moment, then the turmoil left them as Kotomine Kirei donned an self-deprecating smile.

"You are correct, of course. The stress of the past few days must have reached me."

True to his words, his movements as he left toward his room were slower and more free than they had been a moment before. From the doorstep, he turned to her one last time.

"But I am thankful that you played along. I shall pray for our victory."

How odd. If he believed that prayer would be effective in such a situation, then shouldn't he have been praying from the start?

With a sigh, the Servant of the Sword began to walk up the stairs in order to resume her vigil.

At least now the distraction had stopped, even if its cause was still unclear.


	23. Chapter 23

Disclaimer: Still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon.

Thanks to those who review.

* * *

Throughout Archer's report, her Master's expression didn't change once.

It wasn't from a lack of interest, it was simply that there was fairly little that he didn't already know. Berserker's defeat was the only thing that he had been uncertain of, though the familiar on patrol had reported Excalibur's light.

It was unfortunate, in a way. Even if he had been an unpredictable variable, Kiritsugu had hoped that the Servant of Madness would be one of the last Servants standing, if only because it was unlikely that he would take care to protect his Master.

Now only four remained. His own Archer, Tohsaka's Saber, El-Melloi's Lancer and Rider, who had agreed to delay fighting Archer until the end.  
And as though it was pre-arranged to mock him, Rider had shown his full strength after that agreement. Kiritsugu's familiar had not witnessed the Noble Phantasm itself, but for a short time Rider, his Master and Assassin had all vanished. Assassin had not returned.

He had known that Rider most likely possessed a trump card, but he had hoped that it would be something like Excalibur; flashy, powerful and predictable. It had never occurred to him that the loud-mouthed conqueror would possess a power that hid itself from outside observers; certainly, his legend spoke of no such ability.

But then, his course would have remained the same even if he had known. Allying with Tohsaka Tokiomi was too risky because of the man that stood by his side and Lord El-Melloi had every reason to want Kiritsugu dead as soon as possible.

"Tomorrow, we will focus on Lancer." Finally adressing his uncomfortable Servant, he looked up at her from his seat. "After the setback he suffered against Tohsaka, it is likely that Lancer's Master will remain hidden in his location of choice to maximise his combat potential. We will have to overcome those defenses."

Even as Archer nodded her agreement, he couldn't help but feel slightly bitter. While she was on assignment, he had checked on his hidden arsenal, only to find it empty despite the fact that none of the defenses had been triggered.  
Assassin's last gift, no doubt. A shame, since the explosives contained within it would have been highly effective against a conventional magus such as El-Melloi. But now there was no time to obtain more through his contacts.

"Rider will probably target Saber, is it really alright to leave them to it?"

The answer to her hesitant question was so obvious that he had to restrain himself from sighing. Even though she was obedient, it seemed Archer wasn't someone who put much thoughts into planning.

"Of course, that would be ideal. Whether he's defeated by her or he manages to overcome her Holy Sword, the victor of their battle will be greatly weakened. If things go perfectly for us against Lancer, we might even be able to finish the war at that time."  
The girl shifted uncomfortably and he reminded himself of his decision. It was necessary to have her not only comply, but also understand his decision. Considering the power of their opponents, any hesitation would spell defeat.

"After you left, Rider revealed another Noble Phantasm against Assassin." While he had decided that explaining was necessary, he made no effort to divert from his usual tone. "In addition, you have witnessed the power of Saber's Excalibur yourself."

Her pose relaxed slightly. Good.

"I don't doubt that you could match them personally and I understand your desire to do so." A partial lie, admittedly. He had never personally found entertainment on the battlefield, but it was true that people usually enjoyed what they were good at. "However, your armor cannot match Excalibur's raw power and there is no telling what Rider's true ability could be. Since the Grail is on the line, I cannot afford to take any risk."

And with most of his heavier preparations stolen, he had no choice but to rely on her.

It was more of an appeal to reason than emotions, really. He simply wasn't the kind of man that could let someone who was mostly a stranger get close.  
Still, it seemed to work well enough as the girl straightened and nodded more firmly.

"Alright. I'll make sure to defeat them, so that you won't face any problem." Her smile faltered seconds later. "But…are you sure the Grail can really do it? World peace sounds a little bit...farfetched."

His mind accelerated, concentrating on the problem.

Archer hadn't raised any such question before the war begun, therefore she herself had no trouble believing it. He hadn't given any more details on the matter since, Maiya had barely shared a word with her, so her doubts didn't come from any action of his.

There were only three real possibilities; Archer had been warned against him from someone she shouldn't have spoken to, from Rider and his Master or she had somehow gained greater understanding of the Holy Grail by herself.

The third possibility could be dismissed with enough certainty since Archer had never come close to Irisveil nor, indeed, any member of the Einzbern.

There was no way for him to narrow things down further with only his thoughts since his familiar had been too far to catch the words exchanged during her discussion with Rider.

"What brought this on?"

Fortunately, he had no need to guess. His Servant was easy enough to read.

"It's…nothing, really." Once more, the girl began to shift nervously, crossing her arms as if to close in on herself. "I've just seen a lot more magecraft than before I was summoned and…well, nothing really seems that powerful? Even Saber's Excalibur…it was strong, but it didn't really seem to be a miracle."

It could be the truth. Barring any other evidence, he would have to believe it.  
Doing his best to soften his voice – which wasn't that convincing; only Iri and Ilya had ever brought out that side of him – he spoke out the best reassurance he could.

"The Einzbern who hired me for this war were the ones who created the Holy Grail's system in the first place." Rising from his seat, he turned to the window. "It's true that ordinary magecraft cannot create a miracle, but the Holy Grail is a great ritual decades in the making, involving a level of power that modern magi can no longer grasp."

Idly, he waved at her.

"After all, you are there, as are King Arthur, Diarmuid of the Love Spot and Alexander the Great, reborn even if only for a short time. Have you seen any magecraft that could do such a thing?"

The girl shook her head, her eyes unwaveringly staring at him.

"The Einzbern swore to me that the Holy Grail could grant my wish. Having already witnessed its power, I see no reason to doubt it."

It was a simple, clear truth. Emiya Kiritsugu held no doubt within himself, _could not allow _any doubt to exist within himself.  
The path had already cost too much.

"I understand." The girl bowed her head, bright eyes hidden behind locks of hair. "I definitely won't be defeated by any of the others."

As his Servant vanished in lights, Kiritsugu stared at the moon shining in the sky.

Yes, only a little more and it would finally be over.


	24. Chapter 24

Disclaimer: I still own neither Blazblue nor Type-Moon, all characters and concepts in this fic belong to their respective owners.

* * *

The setting sun filled the devastated landscape with blood-red light. A beautiful scenery that revealed the hidden nature of that world, which had become so hostile to humanity.  
Of Ibukido, the Fifth Hierarchical City and the people that had lived there, nothing but ruins remained.

It was a very nostalgic scene, the very first one that the girl had seen with her own eyes.

Once, that memory had lingered in the back of her mind, filling her dreams with the memory of that sea of fire. But she had left that trauma behind.

This was simply her beginning. Nothing good would come from fleeing or rejecting it, so she simply appreciated it for the beautiful sunset that it was.

Well, this was only an illusion conjured by her consciousness as it lingered close to sleep. She was no longer a child, and the sword lying next to her didn't exist back then.

As for why she was here at all…the choice that was waiting for her probably bothered her more than she'd thought.

On one side was Emiya Kiritsugu, the one who had brought her back into a physical form. A man who deeply loved and desired to save the world. Fate must have been laughing to have her be summoned for that purpose. It wasn't the first time that she had met someone who wanted peace for everyone, but Kiritsugu was the first to think that he could really achieve it in one act.

On the other, Kotomine Kirei. An oddity the likes of which she had never encountered. She had met twisted men, evil men, good men and individuals who no longer belonged to humanity at all, but she had never thought that there could be someone who was different at the core, yet longed to be a part of the world.

And between those two was the Holy Grail, a mysterious power that could grant Kiritsugu's desires. If she knew more about it the choice would be easy but as far as she knew no one, except perhaps the Einzberns that Kiritsugu had mentioned, could give her the answers that she wanted.  
Since she didn't have the time or the means to ask them, she was left with a dilemma.

If Kirei was wrong, then objectively she should present the Grail to Kiritsugu. Denying humanity a chance for genuine peace and safety because she had second thoughts on the subject would be putting her own desires before those of countless people.

If Kirei was right, then she had to stop Kiritsugu. The world that would result from his wish wasn't something that most people wanted and it certainly wasn't a place where she would want to live.

She had thought about mentioning the possibility to Kiritsugu, but his answer to her other question had told her plenty.

He had long ago stopped debating the subject, with himself or anyone else. If peace required the suppression of mankind's temper, then he would go through with it without any hesitation.

_"That is right. If this is what it takes for us to have peace, then we more than deserve it."_

His answer would probably be something along those lines. She admired that determination, that willingness to go to any limits, but that didn't make the result any more desireable.

So the decision was simple. There were too many unknowns to Kiritsugu's wish and the abilities of the Holy Grail for her to risk making a mistake that could never be fixed.

Beside, peace that was brought about artificially left a bitter taste in her mouth. It was too close to a rotting world of endless repetition, simply another way of avoiding reality.

Since there was still work to do before the Holy Grail appeared she could always change her mind later if it turned out that she'd failed to consider something, but for now she would accept Kirei's words.

After all, beyond any question about the nature of peace, there was that all-important lesson that she had suffered so much to learn.

Bending, the girl grasped the hilt of the sword that shouldn't have been forged and nodded to herself.

In the end, there was no running from the truth.

* * *

Minutes after the sun rose and the everyday life of the citizens of Fuyuki city began, two men approached the forest that bordered it.

One by one, the powerful illusionary defenses and alarms set up by the Einzberns over the years fell before the superior ability of the invader.

Considering the identity of his partner there was probably no need for such careful steps, but his pride demanded that he answer that challenge.

His labor done, he turned to his companion and gave the order, his voice made raspy from exhaustion.

"Go, retrieve the vessel."

The plan having been discussed before hand, the second man only acknowledged him with a nod before beginning his run through the forest toward the castle that had remained untested for several decades.

It was a bold plan that relied on the fact that none of the other participants would expect them to take action in broad daylight.

It was the act that would set the stage for the final encounter of the Holy Grail War.


End file.
